EMSMlfS  V^JOI^ES. 


LLAiNGOBAITH; 
A  STORY  OF  NORTH  WALES, 


REV.    ERASMUS    W.     JOJNES, 


AUTHOR    OF 


•THE  CAPTIVE  YOUTHS  OF  JITDAH,"    "THE  ADOPTED  SON  JOF   THE 

PHINCFJW,"   "THE  OBEAT  REVIVAL  AT  TONVILLE,"  "THE  MAN 

WITH  THE  RUFFLED  SHIRT,"   "SHARP  WORDS  ON! 

OLD  FI.IXTKOCK  CIRCUIT,"  ETC. 


UTICA,  N.  Y. 

THOMAS    J.    GRIFFITHS. 
1886. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1880. 

BY  REV.  ERASMUS  W.  JONES, 
In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


PREFACE. 


Midway  between  the  northern  ami  southern  ends  of 
the  map  of  England,  on  the  west  side,  facing  St. 
George's  Channel,  with  its  two  arms  thrown  out  to 
embrace  the  beautiful  Cardigan  Bay.  the  waters  of 
which  roll  over  the  lost  paradise  of  the  "Hundred 
Lowland  Townships/'  is  situated  a  section  of  country 
comprising  twelve  counties  or  shires,  which,  in  the  par- 
lance of  political  geography,  is  called  "  The  Principality 
of  Wales."  Here  the  inhabitants  are  still  using  their 
own  Welsh  tongue  as  the  language  of  the  home,  as 
the  medium  of  business  and  social  intercourse,  and 
also  of  religious  worship.  This  little  country  has  fig- 
ured quite  largely  in  the  early  annals  of  modern  his- 
tory, and  offers  still  an  inviting  field  of  investigation 
and  study  for  people  of  other  nationalities  and  tongues. 
The  scene  of  the  story  now  offered  to  the  public  is  in 
the  northern  part  of  this  Principality. 

The  author  believes  that  a  large  community  of  read- 
ers are  ready  to  greet  with  a  generous  welcome  any 
book  added  to  the  very  few  already  existing  in  the 
English  language,  that  will  contribute  its  quota  to- 


wards  throwing  a  new  light  on  that  country  and 
its  people.  He  was  convinced  of  this  by  the  inter- 
est'awakened  by  articles  of  his  touching  the  peculiar 
characteristics  of  his  nation,  which  appeared  a  few 
years  since  in  The  Atlantic  Monthly  and  The  Nefn~ 
York  Independent.  Hence  this  story. 

For  the  substance  of  the  legends  related  by  the  min- 
strel at  Thrush  Grove,  the  stories  told  during  the  eve- 
ning at  Havod,  and  those  subsequently  given  at  Druid's 
Grove,  the  author  is  under  obligation  to  a  charming 
little  Welsh  volume  called  "  Cymru  Fit"  (Wales  of 
the  Past.) 

A  word  as  to  the  pronunciation  of  the  name  "Llaii- 
gobaith."  As  our  English  friends  cannot  well  give 
the  sound  of  the  Welsh  LI.  let  them  give  it  as  in  Lloyd. 
The  accent  comes  on  the  second  syllable,  and  the  word 
is  pronounced  thus:  Lldn-gob'-aith. 

E.  w.  j. 


CONTEXTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 

Schooldays  Experience 9 

CHAPTER  II. 
Joy  and  a  Journey 25 

CHAPTER  in. 
The  Minstrel 'and  a  Pulpit  Orator 37 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Nationality 49 

CHAPTRR  V. 
"  Raven's  Nest,'>nd  a  Tale  of  Cader  Idris 61 

CHAPTER  VI. 

A  Stratagem,  and  the  "  Gymanfa," 74 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Funeral  Customs 83 

CHAFFER  VIIL 
Fair  Meinir  of  the  "Pant,' 91 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Rapid  Transit 99 

CHAPTER  X. 
Mother's  Love  and  "  Dust  to  Dust," 109 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Parting  and  Plotting 118 


Vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XII. 
A  Question  and  the  Answer 128 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
A  Covert  from  the  Tempest 13^ 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
A  Night  at  the  "  Havod," •  •  150 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Miss  Thomas  Loses  her  Watch 166 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Rescue  on  "Llyn  Tegid," 176 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Thomas  Lloyd's  Sister 184 

CHAPTER  XVIH. 
Reconciliation  and  Discoveries 195 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
Legal  Consultation -   - 212 

CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Arrest 219 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
A  Midnight  Quarrel  and  a  Flight 231 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
A  Revelation  at  Druid's  Grove 243 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Two  Letters 253 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
At  Bala  and  the  •«  Shop," 267 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
Pulpit  Orators . .  276 


CONTENTS.  VU 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Riverside's  New  Master 288 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
Some  Excitement 301 

CHAPTER  XXVHI. 
The  Narrative 314 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Eccentricity ..  328 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
Christmas  Eve  and  "  Plygain,"- 336 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 
Wedding  Bells  and  a  Dirge . .  345 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
Conclusion.    .  .356 


LLANGOBAITH; 

A  STORY  OF  NORTH  WALES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

SCHOOL-DAYS    EXPEDIENCE. 

Those  who  have  traveled  in  North  Wales,  will  not 
easily  forget  that  grand  chain  of  mountains  extending 
from  "Cader  Idris"  in  the  south,  to  "  Peumaen  Mawr" 
in  the  north ,  with  the  Snowdon  toweling  high  above 
its  fellows,  like  a  giant  monarch  among  his  subjects. 
Under  the  shadow  of  one  of  these  majestic  elevations, 
and  not  far  from  the  nourishing  village  of  Llangobaith, 
stood  two  prominent  farm-houses.  In  harmony  with  a 
Welsh  custom,  these  residences,  with  the  respective 
farms  on  which  they  stood,  had  their  proper  names, 
as  well  as  did  their  owners  or  tenants.  This  answers 
an  excellent  purpose  in  a  country  where  the  Joneses  and 
Williamses  so  overwhelmingly  predominate.  In  this 
way,  William  Jones  of  Brithdir,  is  easily  distinguished 
from  William  Jones  of  TyWrallt ;  and  Richard  Will- 
iams of  Oae'r-eithin  is  not  confounded  with  his  name- 
sake of  Bryn-y-gloch.  The  two  residences  were  Glan 


10  LLANGOBAITH, 

V  a/on,  (Eiverside)  and  Llwyn  y  Derwydd,  (Druid's 
Grove),  while  their  masters  were  Evan  Pugh  and  Thomas 
Lloyd.  Our  story  demands  the  mention  of  another  resi- 
dence which  stood  forth  prominently  among  the  best 
buildings  in  Llangobaith.  It  was  partly  a  dwelling 
house,  and  partly  a  place  of  business.  In  America,  the 
business  part  would  have  been  called  a  store.  In  Wales, 
at  that  time  it  was  termed  a  "  shop."  And  for  a  village, 
the  "shop"  was  on  rather  an  extensive  scale.  For 
many  years  it  had  flourished  under  the  careful  man- 
agement of  its  proprietor,  Morgan  Edwards. 

The  family  proper,  at  Druid's  Grove,  consisted  of 
the  parents  and  an  only  child.  Gwennie  was  a  lovely 
girl  of  ten  summers,  whose  sweet  disposition  and 
charming  face  easily  won  the  affection  of  all  who  knew 
her.  It  was  often  remarked  by  the  neighbors,  that 
she  had  richly  inherited  the  loving  ways  and  spirit  of 
her  mother,  and  not  those  of  her  father.  There  was 
also  in  the  family  at  this  time  a  child,  Mary  Humph- 
reys, who  had  been  left  fatherless  and  motherless. 
Mary  was  exceedingly  comely  and  bright.  Mrs.  Lloyd 
had  taken  her  not  only  into  her  house,  but  also  into 
her  heart.  Gwennie  dearly  loved  the  orphan,  and  treated 
her  with  the  utmost  kindness. 

Evan  Pugh,  of  Eiverside,  was  considered  by  far 
the  richest  man  in  the  vicinity.  He  was  owner  of  the 
fine  farm  which,  as  an  only  son,  he  had  inherited  from 


SCHOOL- DAYS  EXPERIENCE.  11 

bis  father.  He  married  his  wife  in  England,  and  she 
soon  learned  to  speak  the  Welsh  language  with  consid- 
erable ease.  Pugh's  wealth,  as  a  matter  of  course,  gave 
him  much  influence  in  the  community,  but  he  was  really 
respected  by  but  very  few.  The  peasants  viewed  him 
in  his  true  character,  an  unfeeling,  proud,  overbearing 
man.  From  his  English  wife  these  traits  received  no 
check.  In  a  large  measure,  she  possessed  the  spirit  of 
her  husband.  They  had  one  child,  a  boy  of  twelve 
years,  who  at  a  very  early  age  gave  unmistakeable  evi- 
dences of  a  depraved  heart.  After  an  uncle  of  his 
mother,  he  was  called  Lucas. 

Morgan  Edwards  of  the  "  shop ''  had  been  left  a  wid- 
ower with  two  children.  Llewelyn  was  a  finely  devel- 
oped lad,  of  sweet  temper  and  resolute  mind.  He  was 
eleven  years  of  age.  Helen,  two  years  younger,  was  a 
sprightly  black-eyed  beauty,  and  greatly  attached  to 
her  brother.  Even  before  the  death  of  their  mother, 
the  children  had  received  the  tender  care  of  their  aunt, 
a  widowed  sister  of  their  father,  who  at  the  earnest  re- 
quest of  her  brother,  remained  to  superintend  the  affairs 
of  the  household . 

Some  years  passed  away,  and  the  young  people  were 
attending  a  private  school  of  a  high  grade  at  Llangob- 
aith.  Those  traits  which  had  shown  themselves  in 
childhood  had  been  more  fully  developed.  Llewelyn, 
Gwennie  and  Helen  were  great  favorites,  while  Lucas, 


12  LLANGOBAITH. 

by  his  haughty  and  vicious  bearing,  repelled  all,  except 
a  very  few  of  his  own  stamp.  The  popularity  of  young 
Edwards  naturally  excited  the  envy,  jealousy  and  ha- 
tred of  Pugh,  which  he  manifested  on  all  available  occa- 
sions. In  point  of  scholarship,  he  was  left  far  behind, 
and  this  also  increased  his  spite  and  malignity.  It  be- 
came a  standing  wonder  to  the  school  how  Llewelyn 
could  continue  to  meet  the  treatment  with  so  much 
meekness  and  patience. 

Another  cause  of  Lucas'  ill  will,  was  the  very  high 
place  the  "  shop  boy"  seemed  to  occupy  in  the  estima- 
tion of  Gwennie  Lloyd.  Notwithstanding  his  perverse 
and  depraved  nature,  Lucas  was  greatly  stirred  by  the 
beauty  and  accomplishment  of  this  girl,  who  was  now 
verging  on  young  womanhood.  Several  times  he  had 
made  moderate  advances,  and  although  the  young  lady 
had  treated  him  with  civility,  he  had  readily  noticed 
the  absence  of  those  happy  smiles  that  clothed  her  coun- 
tenance while  in  the  society  of  Llewelyn  Edwards. 

Attending  the  school  there  was  also  a  youth  of  about 
Llewelyn's  age,  by  the  name  of  TaJiesin  Roberts.  His 
parents  lived  on  a  small  farm  in  that  vicinity,  for  which 
they  paid  a  heavy  rent.  For  a  boy  of  seventeen,  Talie- 
sin,  in  body  and  mind,  was  a  noble  specimen  of  devel- 
oping humanity.  He  was  being  educated  at  the  expense 
of  a  wealthy  widowed  aunt,  his  mother's  youngest  sis- 
ter. For  Llewelyn  this  young  person  had  strong  at- 


SCHOOL-DAYS  EXPERIENCE.  13 

tachment ;  and  no  student  at  Llangobaith  stood  higher 
in  the  estimation  of  young  Edwards,  than  did  Taliesin. 
Of  his  age,  he  was  a  bright  scholar,  and  David  Thomas, 
the  head  teacher,  was  proud  of  his  attainments.  For 
some  time  Roberts  had  witnessed  the  manner  in  which 
Lucas  and  another  young  fellow  by  the  name  of  John 
Spike,  treated  his  friend,  and  at  times  his  indignation 
would  well  nigh  break  loose.  In  his  ardent  love  for 
young  Edwards,  he  would  almost  forget  the  insults 
which  he  himself  received  from  the  same  quarters. 

One  summer  noon,  during  their  first  term,  our  two 
fast  friends  were  sitting  together  in  a  shady  grove  on 
the  banks  of  a  clear  running  brook,  a  short  distance  from 
the  school-house. 

"  Llewelyn,"  said  Taliesin,  "  how  can  you  so  patiently 
bear  the  sneers  and  insults  of  those  conceited  fools,  Lu- 
cas Pugh  and  John  Spike  ?" 

"  It  was  a  little  hard  at  first,"  replied  Llewelyn  with 
a  smile,  "but  I  have  become  so  used  to  it,  that  it  gives 
me  no  trouble." 

"But  is  it  your  duty  to  become  used  to  it,  and  pass 
it  by  with  indifference  T'  asked  Taliesin. 

"  But  what  would  you  have  me  do  ?"  asked  Edwards. 
"  Should  I  go  to  the  master  with  teais  in  my  eyes,  say- 
ing that  Pugh  and  Spike  had  treated  me  unkindly  ?" 

"  No,  not  that,"  was  the  reply.  "  You  should  meet 
their  abusive  language  with  stern  rebukes,  and  make 


14  LLANGOBAITH. 

them  the  laughing  stock  of  the  school.  And  if  that 
would  not  answer,  you  should  threaten  to  flog  them, 
which  you  can  do  with  one  hand.  If  you  don't  wish 
to  put  a  stop  to  this  thing  yourself,  give  me  permis- 
sion, and  I  will  scare  them  into  better  behaviour  with- 
out a  blow." 

"Taliesin,"  said  Llewelyn,  "I  thank  you  for  your 
warm  friendship,  but  please  let  me  manage  these  fel- 
lows in  my  own  way." 

"  So  let  it  be,  as  far  as  you  are  concerned,"  said  Tal- 
iesin. "But  if  they  undertake  to  abuse  me,  I  will  take 
matters  into  my  own  hands." 

At  this  point,  they  heard  approaching  voices ;  and  a 
few  rods  up  the  stream  they  saw  Lucas  and  his  chum 
approaching,  engaged  in  animated  conversation.  They 
soon  reached  the  spot  where  our  young  friends  were 
resting. 

"  Halloo !"  cried  Lucas  in  a  sneering  tone ;  "  we  have 
disturbed  your  profound  conversation.  Spike,  I'll  wa- 
ger half  a  guinea,  that  Llewelyn's  theme  was  Gwennie 
Lloyd." 

"  And  I'll  bet  a  sovereign  that  Taliesin's  sweet  sub- 
ject was  Helen  Edwards,"  said  Spike. 

"You  are  wide  of  the  mark,"  said  Taliesin.  "The 
subjects  of  our  conversation  were  of  far  less  import- 
ance. We  happened  to  be  talking  of  Lucas  Pugh  and 
John  Spike." 


SCHOOL-DAYS  EXPERIENCE.  15 

"Your  opinion  of  our  importance  is  of  no  conse- 
quence," said  Pugh,  in  an  indignant  voice. 

"  Lucas,"  said  Spike,  "don't  lower  yourself  by  wast- 
ing words  with  that  fellow.  It  would  have  been  better 
for  the  good  name  of  our  school  if  his  auntie  had  given 
another  direction  to  her  benevolence,  and  had  left  him 
to  the  simple  teaching  of  some  school  of  charity.'1 

"  Spike  !'*  cried  Llewelyn,  rising  to  his  feet,  "  your 
language  is  outrageous,  and  you  must  take  it  back !" 

*'  It  is  the  language  of  a  sneaking  coward !'"  said  Tal- 
iesin.  "  I  will  give  him  three  minutes  by  my  watch  to 
take  those  words  back,  or  sufTer  the  consequence  of  a 
refusal." 

"And  what  will  the  consequence  be,  may  I  ask  .'"  in- 
quired Spike. 

"I  will  let  you  know  in  just  two  minutes,"  said  Tal- 
iesin,  as  he  divested  himself  of  necktie,  coat  and  vest. 

Spike  having  a  full  knowledge  of  Taliesin's  physical 
strength,  and  noticing  the  terrible  expression  of  his 
countenance,  found  no  great  trouble  in  persuading  his 
cowardly  self  that  retreat  was  the  safest. 

"  You  are  on  your  last  minute !"  cried  Taliesin,  look- 
ing Spike  straight  in  the  eye,  and  slowly  approaching 
him  in  a  threatening  attitude.  Spike  looked  at  Lucas, 
and  saw  in  his  face  signs  of  fear.  He  looked  on  Lle- 
welyn, and  in  him  there  was  no  disposition  to  inter- 
fere. 


16  LLAXGOBAITH. 

"  Ten  seconds  by  the  watch !''  cried  Taliesin,  and  his 
visage  was  terrible. 

"Eoberts,"  said  Spike,  in  trembling  accents,  "I  did 
not  think  my  words  would  lead  to  this.  I  call  them 
back." 

"  That  settles  the  matter  between  us  two,"  said  Tal- 
iesin ;  "  but  while  I  am  in  the  vein,  let  me  say  to  Lucas 
Pugh,  that  from  henceforth  if  he  would  avoid  a  sound 
thrashing,  he  must  direct  no  abusive  language  either  to 
Llewelyn  Edwards  or  myself." 

Just  then  the  school  bell  rung,  and  the  vanquished 
were  glad  to  find  a  plausible  excuse  for  escaping  from 
a  very  uncomfortable  situation. 

No  sooner  had  they  left,  than  Roberts  fell  into  a  fit 
of  laughter. 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  the  transition  from  rage  to 
mirth  is  rather  sudden,"  said  Llewelyn. 

"It  is  not  such  a  great  transition  after  all,"  said  Tal- 
iesin. "I  was  somewhat  angry,  but  that  excessive  rage 
was  a  piece  of  acting." 

"  Your  generalship  was  admirable,  and  you  deserve 
promotion,"  said  Llewelyn.  "  But  come,  or  we  shall  be 
late." 

Subsequently,  the  behavior  of  Pugh  and  Spike  was 
less  insulting,  but  their  hatred  was  deeper,  and  their 
malice  more  intense. 

In  about  two  weeks  after  this,  our  two  friends  were 


SCHOOL-DAYS  EXPERIENCE.  17 

slowly  walking  together  kin  the  road  between  Druid's 
Grove  and  Llangobaith.  This  they  were  often  in  the 
habit  of  doing :  during  which  occasions,  as  warm  con- 
fidential friends,  they  would  freely  converse  together 
on  any  and  all  subjects  that  might  interest  their  minds. 
While  thus  moving  toward  the  village,  they  were  over- 
taken by  a  young  lass  with  whom  they  were  perfectly 
familiar,  and  of  whom  they  thought  much.  She  was 
Mary  Jones,  the  youngest  of  Evan  and  Margaret  Jones's 
children.  Her  father  was  a  hard-working,  intelligent 
and  pious  laborer,  living  in  an  humble  cot  named  Pren 
y  Gog  (Cuckoo's  Tree)  on  the  farm  of  Evan  Pugh,  to 
whom  he  paid  a  yearly  rent  that  was  considered  op- 


"  Good  evening,  Mary,'*  said  Llewelyn  in  a  kind,  fa- 
miliar tone.  "You  seem  to  be  in  a  hurry." 

*•  I  am  going  to  the  village,"  said  the  girl.  "  Uncle 
Hugh  has  come  from  Liverpool,  and  we  want  a  few 
things  from  the  shop." 

There  was  something  in  the  girl's  voice  and  counte- 
nance, as  well  as  in  the  appearance  of  her  eyes,  that 
gave  Llewelyn  to  understand  that  something  troubled 
her,  and  wishing  to  render  her  any  assistance  within 
his  power,  he  ventured  to  say — 

"  Mary,  I  am  afraid  that  something  is  troubling  you. 
Can  I  give  you  any  help  ?'' 

"Oh,  Llewelyn!"  sobbed  out  the  girl,  "our  dear  Dick 


18  LLANGOBAITH. 

is  going  way  off  to  Liverpool  with  Uncle  Hugh,  and 
what  shall  we  do  at  Pren  y  Gog  without  him  ?  He  wants 
to  go  so  much,  and  father  and  mother  say  that  he 
may.  We  are  glad  to  see  uncle,  but  it  will  almost  break 
our  hearts  to  lose  Dick." 

"  We  shall  all  miss  him,  Mary,"  said  Llewelyn,  with 
tears  in  his  eyes.  "A  nobler  boy  than  Dick  Jones 
never  breathed!  He  is  loved  by  every  one." 

"Not  quite  by  every  one,"  said  Mary.  "Lucas  Pugh 
and  John  Spike  abuse  him  every  chance  they  get, 
and  he  bears  it  all  quietly,  for  our  sake!  O,  my  dear 
Dick  !" 

"  I  would  be  glad  to  be  near  by  when  Dick  Jones  is 
insulted  by  those  fellows,"  said  Taliesin  Roberts,  with 
a  frown  gathering  on  his  brow. 

"  They  dare  not  do  it  when  people  are  looking  on," 
said  Mary,  recovering  her  spirits.  "  They  cowardly  in- 
sult him  when  they  find  him  alone.  They  abuse  Robin 
too ;  and  Jane  and  I  have  to  listen  often  to  their  rough 
talk.  But  I  must  go."  And  Mary  Jones  hastened  to- 
ward Llangobaith. 

While  our  two  friends  were  enjoying  themselves  in 
profitable  conversation,  and  in'  viewing  the  beauties  of 
nature,  Pugh  and  Spike  were  indulging  in  ale-drinking 
at  the  "Red  Lion."  On  this  day,  however,  they  had 
left  in  time  to  notice  from  a  distance  the  interview  be- 


SCHOOL-DATS  EXPERIENCE.  19 

tween  Mary  Jones  and  her  two  friends  in  the  road ; 
and  it  filled  their  minds  with  vulgar  curiosity. 

"I  should  like  to  know  what  that  talk  was  about?" 
said  John  Spike. 

"And  you  will  know  in  a  few  minutes,''  said  Pugh. 
"She  must  not  pass  until  she  tells  us.'' 

"Ha,  ha!  That  will  be  sport,"  cried  Spike.  "But 
she  comes  in  a  hurry,  and  if  we  don't  look  sharp,  she 
will  pass  us." 

"Never  you  fear,"  was  Lucas's  reph.  "The  Pren  y 
G6g  tribe  is  pretty  well  under  my  direction,  and  they 
dare  not  complain  or  be  saucy." 

The  girl  was  now  close  by,  and  with  hasty  steps  was 
about  to  pass,  when  the  two  rowdies  stepped  in  front 
of  her,  and  brought  her  to  a  stand. 

"Not  quite  so  fast,  my  pretty  maiden,"  said  Lucas 
with  mock  politeness.  ••  I  have  a  number  of  questions 
that  you  must  answer  before  you  go  any  farther." 

"Mr.  Pugh,"  said  Mary,  "I  go  on  an  errand  to 
Llangobaith.  I  am  in  a  hurry.  Let  me  go,  please." 

"  Not  a  step  farther  will  you  go,.  Miss,  until  you  tell 
us  all  about  your  conversation  with  the  shop  boy  and 
Taliesin  Roberts,"  said  Lucas. 

"  Mr.  Pugh,"  said  Mary,  "  you  can  stop  my  going  to 
Llangobaith,  but  you  can  never  make  me  tell  you  my 
talk  with  Llewelyn." 

"  I  can't,  eh  ?"  said  Lucas  with  a  pompous  frown. 


20  LLANGOBAITH. 

"  We'll  see  about  that.  Do  you  know  who  you  are 
talking  to?" 

"  Indeed  I  do,"  said  Mary.  "  You  have  given  all  of 
us  at  Pren  y  Gog  good  reasons  to  know  you,  for  many 
years.  Now  let  me  go  on  my  errand."  And  she  tried 
to  pass  them. 

"  Not  yet,  you  saucy  brat !"  said  John  Spike,  seizing 
her  violently  by  the  arm.  "  Now  tell  us  what  you  were 
talking  about  with  those  chaps  on  the  road." 

"Never,  never!"  cried  Mary,  breaking  forth  into 
weeping.  "Let  go  of  my  arm ;  you  are  hurting  me  t 
Shame  on  both  of  you!  Let  go  of  me,  John  Spike! 
If  Llewelyn  or  Taliesin  was  here,  you  would  not  dare 
touch  me!" 

"  Ho,  ho!"  cried  Spike;  "just  as  if  we  were  afraid 
of  the  shop  boy  and  his  charity  chum!" 

Just  at  this  time,  from  a  sudden  turn  in  the  road, 
Llewelyn  and  his  friend  suddenly  stood  before  them. 

"What  does  this  mean,  Mary?"  asked  Taliesin,  while 
his  lips  quivered. 

"  0,  Taliesin  !"  cried  the  girl,  "  I  am  so  glad  you  have 
come !  They  will  not  let  me  go  unless  I  tell  them  what 
we  were  talking  about  yonder ;  and  John  Spike  has  han- 
dled me  roughly  and  hurt  my  arm." 

"  She  lies !"  cried  John.  "  We  could  not  get  rid  of 
her.  I  took  hold  of  her  arm  to  push  her  off;"  still  re- 
taining his  grasp. 


SCHOOL-DAYS  EXPERIENCE.  21 

"  Take  off  your  hand  from  that  girl's  arm,  you  lying 
villain !"  said  Taliesin. 

"Not  at  your  bidding,"  angrily  answered  Spike,  "  and 
you  may  go  to" — 

Before  he  could  mention  the  particular  locality,  a 
heavy  blow  from  the  indignant  Taliesin  laid  him  sense- 
less on  the  ground. 

"  Mr.  Pugh,"  said  Taliesin,  "  I  leave  Spike  in  your 
kind  care.  If  there  is  to  be  a  legal  investigation,  you 
know  where  to  find  me."  Then  addressing  the  girl,  he 
said — 

"  Mary,  we  shall  accompany  you  as  far  as  Llangob- 
aith  ;"  and  so  they  left. 

"  That  was  the  first  luxury  of  the  kind  I  ever  indulged 
in,"  said  Taliesin  with  a  smile. 

"It  was  brief  in  its  duration,"  said  Llewelyn. 

"  But  it  was  quite  enjoyable  while  it  lasted,"  was  the 
reply. 

"  Let  us  hope  that  there  shall  be  no  occasion  for  an- 
other such  indulgence,"  said  Llewelyn  ;  and  turning  to 
Mary,  asked — 

"  When  does  Dick  intend  to  start  ?" 

"  He  starts  at  an  early  hour  on  the  day  after  to-mor- 
row," said  the  sister. 

"We  must  call  and  bid  him  good-bye  to-morrow  af- 
ternoon," said  Llewelyn. 


22  LLANGOBAITH. 

They  now  had  reached  their  destination.  Mary  made 
her  purchase,  and  was  soon  hastening  homeward. 

The  news  of  Dick  Jones's  anticipated  departure  was 
soon  known  throughout  the  village  and  vicinity;  and 
all  expressed  deep  regret  at  losing  one  who,  although 
poor,  was  an  universal  favorite. 

John  Spike  was  not  seriously  injured,  nor  at  all  dis- 
figured. The  blow  had  been  accommodating  enough 
to  fall  just  below  the  right  ear,  where  it  left  a  feeling, 
but  not  a  visible  impression.  After  a  wonderful  dis- 
play of  curses,  and  vows  of  vengeance,  they  pursued 
their  way  toward  Kiverside ;  and  well  knowing  that 
they  had  been  overtaken  in  an  undertaking  which  the 
people  would  condemn,  they  concluded  that  it  was  best 
for  them  to  keep  the  matter  to  themselves. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  a  number  of  youth 
of  both  sexes  assembled  at  Pren  y  Gog  to  bid  Dick 
Jones  adieu. 

"  Good-bye,  Dick  !"  said  Llewelyn,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes.  "We  shall  greatly  miss  you." 

•"Good-bye,  Llewelyn!"  said  Dick.  "I  shall  never 
forget  your  kindness.''  Taliesin  and  the  two  girls, 
Gwennie  and  Helen,  gave  him  their  hands  in  tearful 
silence,  and  with  others  they  slowly  went  away. 

"And  they  were  all  here  except  Mary  Humphreys !" 
said  his  mother,  in  a  tone  of  disappointment,  after  they 
had  all  left.  "I  looked  for  her  above  all  the  rest." 


SCHOOL-DAYS  EXPERIENCE.  23 

Had  the  mother  understood  the  exact  state  of  the 
case,  the  absence  of  sweet  Mary  Humphreys  would  have 
given  her  no  uneasiness. 

"  I  promised  to  call  on  Mary  for  a  short  time  this 
evening,  mother,''  said  the  boy,  "and  that  is  the  reason 
she  was  not  here." 

"Aye,  do,  my  dear  child!''  said  Margaret  Jones, 
"and  tell  her  to  come  and  see  us  as  often  as  she  can/' 

Soon  Richard  was  at  Druid's  Grove,  to  bid  adieu  to 
his  weeping  Mary,  and  at  an  early  hour  next  morning 
he  was  on  his  way  to  Bangor  to  take  the  sloop  for  Liv- 
erpool. 


The  young  people's  stay  at  school  was  for  a  period  of 
three  years.  Throughout  this  time  Llewelyn  had  de- 
voted himself  to  his  studies  with  great  diligence,  and 
had  made  fine  advancement.  It  was  the  same  with 
T:il  it -sin.  The  praise  he  received  from  the  principal  on 
the  day  he  left  school  was  well  deserved.  He  faithfully 
corresponded  with  his  aunt,  and  received  her  thanks 
and  blessings.  Spike  had  left  with  profane  anger,  about 
six  months  before  the  rest  of  the  young  people.  He 
was  openly  reprimanded  for  a  malicious  falsehood,  went 
home,  and  explained  his  movements  by  resorting  to 
more.  His  hatred  of  Taliesin  was  deep  and  villainous- 
The  brief  affair  on  the  road  with  Mary  Jones,  and  his 
unlocked  for  chastisement,  he  never  mentioned  except 


24  LLANGOBAITH. 

to  Lucas  Pugh.  But  never  did  he  cease  to  hope  for  an 
opportunity  that  would  permit  him  in  some  manner  to 
heap  vengeance  upon  the  head  of  one  he  supremely 
hated.  Lucas,  as  a  student,  had  been  indolent  and 
stupid.  Often  when  his  mates  were  struggling  with 
hard  problems,  he,  mounted  on  one  of  his  father's 
horses,  was  following  the  hounds.  Throughout  the 
years,  his  jealousy  and  conceit  had  been  on  the  increase. 
He  always  had  a  good  supply  of  money,  and  with  those 
of  his  own  sOrc  he  would  freely  spend  it.  "With  the 
landlady  of  the  Red  Lion  he  was  a  great  favorite- 
There  he  spent  much  of  his  time,  and  often  showed  a 
high  degree  of  drunken  hilarity,  while  coarse  profanity 
broke  over  his  lips.  Gwennie  Lloyd  at  the  end  of  the 
course,  was  universally  loved  by  her  companions.  Her 
accomplishments,  amiability  and  moral  worth  were  un- 
mistakable. She  had  a  host  of  warm  friends,  but  her 
one  fondly  cherished,  confidential  companion  was  Helen 
Edwards,  who  was  well  nigh  her  equal  in  everything 
that  constitutes  a  genuine  young  lady. 


CHAPTER  II. 

JOY    AND    A    JOURNEY. 

Llwyn  y  Fronfrait/i  (Thrash  Grove)  was  a  beautiful 
country  residence,  about  twelve  miles  from  Llangob- 
aith,  and  was  the  home  of  Mrs.  Parry.  Hugh  Parry 
was  the  only  son  and  child  of  Col.  Morgan  Parry,  whose 
ancestors  for  generations  had  resided  at  tins  charming 
spot.  The  young  man  received  all  the  advantages 
which  wealth  could  procure.  The  twenty-first  anniver- 
sary of  his  birth  was  celebrated  with  unbounded  en- 
thusiasm. In  the  evening,  bonlires  blazed  on  the  hills, 
while  the  booming  cannon  echoed  on  the  sides  of  those 
old  Welsh  mountains 

His  father  having  been  a  successful  military  man,  de- 
sired Ins  son  to  follow  the  same  profession.  This  was 
in  harmony  with  the  young  man's  mind,  and  he  received 
his  commission  as  a  captain. 

Between  Hugh  Parry  and  the  fair  Mary  Morgan 
there  had  grown  genuine  affection,  and  a  short  time 
before  he  left  for  the  army,  they  were  betrothed  and 
pledged  to  each  other  their  undying  love. 

In  two  years  from  this  time  an  "orderly1'  rode  up  to 
Capt.  Parry  and  handed  him  a  letter.  It  was  from  his 
mother,  saying  that  his  father  was  very  low,  and  re 


26  LLANGOBAITH. 

questiug  his  presence  at  home  as  soon  as  possible- 
The  Colonel  was  alive  when  the  son  arrived,  but  was 
fast  sinking.  He  had  strength  enough  to  give  a  few 
directions,  when  suddenly  he  fell  back  and  expired. 

The  altered  state  of  things  at  home,  compelled  the 
son  to  resign  his  commission.  It  was  accepted  with 
much  regret.  In  one  year  more  those  hills  were  again 
illuminated  to  celebrate  an  event  in  which  the  accom- 
plished Mary  Morgan  was  arrayed  in  bridal  robes. 

The  venerable  mother  did  not  long  survive  her  hus- 
band, and  deeply  lamented,  she  was  laid  down  to  rest 
by  his  side  in  the  old  parish  churchyard. 

In  two  years  after  this,  the  young,  noble  hearted  and 
pious  Capt.  Parry  sickened  and  died,  leaving  a  wife 
and  a  bright-eyed  babe  six  months  old. 

For  his  wife's  young  nephew,  Taliesin  Roberts,  then 
about  ten  years  of  age,  Capt.  Parry  had  manifested 
great  regards.  He  had  noticed  in  the  lad  many  points 
of  excellence,  and  in  his  last  sickness  he  enjoined  on 
his  wife  to  superintend  his  education  and  spare  no  ex- 
pense. 

In  about  two  weeks  after  the  close  of  their  school  at 
Llangobaith,  Taliesin  received  the  following  from  his 

Aunt  Mary: 

"LLWYN  Y  FRONFRAITH,  June  15,  18 — . 
MY  DEAR  TALIESIN  : 

Your  last  letter  gave  me  great  satisfaction.  The  pen- 
manship is  excellent,  and  the  sentences  finely  construct- 


JOY   AND    A    JOUHNEY.  27 

ed ;  which  shows  that  your  school  days  have  been  well 
improved.  I  will  say  for  your  encouragement,  that  I 
received  a  good  long  letter  from  Mr.  Thomas,  in  which 
he  speaks  of  you  in  very  complimentary  terms.  I  am 
glad  that  at  school  you  have  had  for  a  constant  com- 
panion such  a  worthy  youth  as  Llewelyn  Edwards.  He 
is  one  in  a  thousand.  The  young  ladies  you  mention 
are  charming.  You  must  be  careful  or  one  of  those 
beauties  will  turn  your  head. 

"Now,  last  of  all,  I  come  to  the  first  object  I  had  in 
view  in  writing.  It  would  give  me  and  your  cousin 
Arthur  the  greatest  pleasure  if  you,  Llewelyu,  his  sis- 
ter and  Gwennie  Lloyd,  would  come  to  Thrush  Grove 
and  make  us  a  good  long  visit.  Please  make  my  wishes 
known  to  them,  and  let  them  consider  themselves  affec- 
tionately invited.  Let  me  hear  from  you  soon.  You 
may  appoint  the  day  and  I  will  send  my  carnage  to 
bring  you  here.  When  you  get  homesick,  we  shall  take 
you  back. 

Y'our  affectionate 

AUNT  MARY." 

Taliesin  at  once  made  known  to  his  young  friends 
the  wishes  of  his  aunt.  They  were  highly  pleased, and 
after  consulting  their  parents,  they  gratefully  accepted 
the  invitation.  The  day  was  appointed.  They  would 
start  from  the  "shop,"  and  a  word  to  that  effect  was 
sent  to  Thrush  Grove. 

The  company  was  together  before  the  conveyance  ar- 
rived. Their  gay  and  joyous  appearance  attracted  the 
attention  of  three  young  men  that  sat  around  their  mugs 


28  LLANGOBAITH. 

of  ale  in  one  of  the  front  rooms  of  the  Bed  Lion.  These 
were  Lucas  Pugh  and  two  jovial  young  fellows  from 
Bangor,  who  had  turned  in  on  their  way  homeward. 

"  Lucas,"  said  Ned  Price,  "by  Saint  George,  yonder 
is  a  scene  for  a  painter !  Are  they  not  Miss  Lloyd  and 
Miss  Edwards  ?" 

"They  are,"  said  Lucas,  "and  I  have  been  watching 
their  movements  for  some  time." 

"  I  was  struck  with  their  beauty  a  year  ago,"  said 
Price,  "  but  they  look  far  more  charming  to-day.  Tom, 
just  look  over  yonder,  and  give  us  your  impression. ': 

"Ned,"  said  Tom,  without  moving,  "you  are  forever 
in  a  glow  over  some  female  beauty !  Your  weakness 
on  that  point  is  astonishing !  Here  you  arc  all  in  a 
nutter  over  two  pretty  girls  !  A  hundred  of  them,  all 
in  a  row,  would  not  in  the  least  quicken  the  pulsations 
of  your  unworthy  friend  Tom  Jones." 

"  You  may  talk  that  stuff  to  those  that  don't  know 
you,"  said  Price.  "  I'll  bet  half  a  guinea  that  the  very 
sight  of  those  ladies  will  heighten  your  heart-beats 
more  than  fifteen  a  minute." 

"I'll  take  the  bet,"  said  Tom.  "  Pugh,  take  out  your 
watch  and  count  my  present  pulse." 

This  was  done. 

"What is  the  figure?"  asked  Tom. 

"  Seventy-five,"  was  the  reply. 

"All  right,"  said  the  young  man.     "Now  let  my 


JOY   AND    A    JOURNEY.  29 

mortal  vision  rest  for  a  while  upon  those  lovely  beings 
that  have  so  disturbed  the  calm  equilibrium  of  my 
friend  Ned  Price." 

"This  way,  Sir  Thomas,"  said  Ned,  pointing  to- 
ward the  "shop."  "Now  steadfastly  gaze  on  those 
smiling,  angelic  beauties  that  stand  on  yonder  steps ! 
Mark  those  symmetrical  forms  and  perfect  features ; 
those  sparkling  eyes  and  bewitching  lips  ;  and — hark  ! 
Hear  you  not  those  sweet  voices  breaking  forth  like 
the  melody  of  chembirn  ?" 

" Ned,"  said  Tom,  "the  girls  are  tine,  but  none  of 
these  things  move  me.  I  am  as  firm  as  the  everlasting 
rock  of  Gibraltar!  Here.  Lucas,  take  my  arm  again, 
and  count  the  throbs,  while  Ned  is  in  search  of  his  piece 
of  gold." 

Here  Gwennie,  in  reply  to  some  remark,  broke  out  in 
one  of  her  sweet  ringing  laughters. 

"There  is  a  laugh  an  angel  might  envy!  Let  the 
count  begin,"  said  Price. 

After  a  while  Tom  cried  out,  "  Give  us  the  figure, 
Lucas." 

"Tom,"  said  Lucas,  "your  pulse  has  gone  up  to  9G.M 

Ned  broke  out  in  a  loud  "  Ha,  ha !" 

"  I  believe  you  are  correct,"  said  Tom.  "  It  was  that 
bewitching  laugh  that  did  the  mischief.  Here,  Ned,  is 
a  guinea ;  give  me  the  change." 

"  Keep  your  money,  Tom,"  said  Price.     "  In  all  prob- 


30  LLANGOBAITH. 

ability  I  shall  lose  the  next  wager,  and  then  we  shall 
be  even." 

Just  then  a  splendid  carriage  passed  by  the  door  of 
the  Red  Lion,  and  a  magnificent  pair  of  horses  were 
brought  to  a  stand  in  front  of  Mr.  Edwards'  residence. 
The  coachman  was  met  by  Llewelyn  and  Taliesin,  while 
the  girls  had  gone  in. 

The  three  young  men  at  the  inn  looked  on  with  a  de- 
gree of  curiosity,  and  one  of  them  with  much  astonish- 
ment. Lucas  was  uneasy,  if  not  alarmed. 

"  What  can  all  this  mean  f '  said  he,  more  to  himself 
than  to  his  companions.  "  Those  two  fellows  are  in 
their  best.  I  must  know  where  this  coach  is  from,  and 
to  where  they  are  going.  Boys,  let  us  go  and  see  to 
this  matter." 

"To  us  it  is  of  no  importance,"  said  Ned  Price. 
"The  coachman,  I  presume,  will  give  you  all  the  infor- 
mation you  desire." 

So  Lucas  left  his  companions,  and  in  a  swaggering 
style  approached  the  carriage.  The  coachman  had  on 
his  lips  a  sly  smile  of  satisfaction.  His  name  was  Rich- 
ard Rowland.  But  among  his  jovial  friends  he  was 
known  as  "Dick  Roland."  Now  Dick  was  very  much 
of  a  wag.  With  an  air  of  superiority,  Pugh  asked — 

"  Who  owns  this  coach  and  horses  f 
.    "They  belong  to  my  master,"  was  the  answer. 

"  And  who  is  your  master  ?"  was  the  next  question. 


JOY   AND    A   JOURNEY.  31 

u  My  master  is  so  great  a  gentleman,''  said  Dick, 
"  that  the  common  people  address  even  his  coachman 
with  great  civility.  But  as  long  as  you  did  not  know 
who  I  was.  I  will  gladly  forgive  your  unintentional 
roughness." 

"I  ask  you  again,  who  is  your  muster  ?"  said  Lucas, 
looking  at  the  coachman  with  a  degree  of  astonishment. 

"That  is  a  slight  improvement,"  said  Dick  with  a  sol- 
emn look,  "but  it  falls  far  short  of  that  civility  becom- 
ing my  station  as  the  family  coachman  of  one  of  the 
greatest  men  in  the  nation.'' 

Lucas  was  getting  angry ;  but  knowing  that  an  ex- 
posure of  his  feelings  would  defeat  his  object,  he  con- 
cluded that  it  was  best  to  stoop  to  conquer,  and  so  he 
said — 

"  I  am  not  one  of  the  common  people,  yet  I  would 
be  glad  to  hear  who  is  the  owner  of  this  coach  and 
horses." 

'•  That  is  very  much  better  indeed,  my  young  friend," 
said  Dick  in  a  patronizing  tone ;  "  and  seeing  that  you 
have  asked  with  becoming  civility,  I  will  tell  you  that  I 
have  the  honor  of  being  the  servant  of  no  less  a  person- 
age than  Lord  Newboro  of  Glyn  Llifon." 

"But  why  in  heaven's  name  is  Lord  Newboro's  coach 
in  this  place?  And  who  is  to  ride  in  it, and  where  to?" 
asked  Lucas,  with  mingled  feelings  of  anger  and  aston- 
ishment. 


32  LLANGOBAITH. 

"  Too  many  questions  in  one  breath,''  said  Dick.  "  If 
the  illustnous  person  that  I  have  the  honor  to  serve 
has  sent  for  these  young  persons,  it  is  for  some  worthy 
purpose."  And  lowering  his  voice  to  almost  a  whisper, 
and  looking  exceedingly  profound,  he  continued,  "lam 
not  at  liberty  to  reveal  secrets,  but  in  all  probability 
you  will  soon  hear  the  names  of  these  young  fellows  in 
connection  with  very  responsible  offices  in  the  govern- 
ment. Coachmen  hear  a  great  deal  that  never  reaches 
the  ears  of  ordinary  servants." 

Lucas  was  very  much  disturbed.  What  his  next 
question  would  have  been  no  one  knows.  Just  then  the 
young  people  appeared,  all  ready  for  the  journey,  and 
Lucas,  under  the  stunning  effect  of  Dick's  revelations, 
found  his  way  to  the  parlor  of  the  Red  Lion,  where 
Price  and  Jones  were  waiting  for  further  developments. 

As  soon  as  Pugh  was  peated,  the  carriage,  containing 
the  happy  four,  swept  by  at  a  swift  rate,  and  Tom 
Jones  noticed  that  the  coachman's  face  was  glowing 
with  what  in  modern  times  is  called  "  fun.'' 

"Well,  Pugh,"  said  Ned  Price,  "who  is  it  that  glo- 
ries in  the  full  possession  of  that  fine  rig  ?" 

"  They  belong  to  Lord  Newboro,"  was  the  answer. 

"  W-h-e-w  !''  was  the  united  response  from  Price  and 
Jones; 

"But,"  asked  Jones,  "where  are  those  young  people 
to  be  conveyed  to?" 


JOY   AND    A    JOURNEY.  33 

"  They  are  to  go  to  Glyn  Llifon  as  guests  of  Lord 
and  Lady  Newboro,"  was  the  answer  :  and  Lucas  took 
another  heavy  drink  of  ale, 

"  Lucas,  you  have  been  most  gloriously  sold  !"  said 
Tom  Jones,  bursting  into  a  loud  laugh. 

Pugh  was  about  to  make  a  boisterous  reply,  when 
another  gentleman,  who  held  the  office  of  Exciseman, 
was  added  to  the  number.  He  sat  down  by  a  small 
table,  and  in  a  moment  his  ale  was  set  before  him.  He 
drank,  smacked  his  lips,  held  the  glass  between  him  and 
the  light,  and  remarked — 

"No  sham  about  the  ale  drank  at  the  Red  Lion. 
This  is  what  I  call  honest.  Here  is  to  your  health, 
gentlemen.  Well,  Mr.  Pugh."  he  continued.  "  how  go 
things  at  Llangobaith  !  I  used  to  know  every  boy  and 
girl  in  this  vicinity.  They  have  grown  up  into  young 
men  and  women.  By  the  way,  did  I  not  meet  four  of 
your  young  folks  in  a  conch  just  now  '.' 

"Yes,"  said  Lucas,  "they  left  a  short  time  ago." 

"I  knew  them  readily,"  said  John  Ellis,  "  and  a  more 
fine  looking  four  put  together  you  don't  often  find. 
That  Gwennie  Lloyd  is  a  perfect  beauty :  and  if  young 
Edwards  gets  her  he  will  secure  a  treasure  ;  and  so  will 
she.  Dick  Roland,  the  coachman,  looked  wonderfully 
well  pleased  over  something.  I  would  be  willing  to 
bet  a  crown  that  he  had  just  fooled  some  one  with  one 
of  his  yarns." 


34  LLANGOBAITH. 

"Is  that  one  of  his  traits?"  asked  Ned  Price. 

"  Dick  Roland  f  said  the  Exciseman,  as  if  astonished 
at  the  question.  "  He  is  one  of  the  greatest  wags  in 
North  Wales.  He  is  as  good  hearted  as  the  day  is 
long,  but  has  a  perfect  passion  for  sport ;  and  you  will 
find  some  of  his  victims  all  over.  They  are  generally 
those  over  whom  the  people  have  no  tears  to  shed. 
He  is  a  very  trusty  coachman.  He  was  once  in  the  em- 
ploy of  Lord  Penrhyn.  For  the  last  three  years  he 
has  been  with  Mrs.  Parry  at  Thrush  Grove.  It  is  there, 
I  presume,  the  young  people  are  going." 

The  two  young  men  from  Bangor  felt  much  inclined 
to  indulge  in  a  hearty  laugh ;  but  an  imploring  look 
from  Lucas  restrained  them,  and  the  conversation  took 
another  direction.  After  Ellis  had  left,  Pugh  begged 
of  them  to  keep  his  interview  with  the  coachman  a  se- 
cret, which  they  promised  to  do.  In  a  very  angry 
mood,  he  started  for  home,  and  Price  and  Jones,  in  a 
pleasant  frame  of  mind,  bent  their  footsteps  toward 
Bangor. 

Our  young  people  under  the  guidance  of  Dick  Ro- 
land, were  enjoying  themselves  finely.  Everything 
contributed  to  make  them  happy.  The  day  was  lovely, 
the  scenery  enchanting,  their  conveyance  splendid,  and 
their  destination  inspiring.  On  their  left  stood  those 
famous  Carnarvonshire  mountains  in  majestic  grandeur, 
while  before  them  and  on  their  left  bloomed  the  vale  of 


JOY    AND    A    JOURNEY.  35 

Llangobaith,  promising  rich  and  abundant  harvest. 
The  lark  warbled  its  sweetest  melody  in  its  upward 
flight,  while  the  cuckoo  chanted  her  short  lay  on  the 
high  brunches. 

"Celebrated  as  our  Snow  don  is,"  said  Gweunie,  ''and 
while  strangers  by  the  hundreds  come  from  a  great 
dsitauce  to  enjoy  the  views  from  its  summit,  yet  living 
BO  near  to  it,  I  have  never  enjoyed  that  pleasure." 

"In  that  we  are  both  ulike  Gweunie,"  suid  Helen 
Edwards. 

**  It  is  not  at  all  strange  that  you  have  never  reached 
those  rugged  heights,"  said  Llewelyn.  "There  are  but 
few  ladies  that  have.  The  ascent  is  long,  tedious,  and 
attended  with  some  danger.  It  is  a  shame  that  the 
journey  is  not  rendered  easier  aud  more  pleasurable, 
when  visitors  would  so  gladly  pav  for  the  convenience. 
From  the  Wyddfa  we  have  the  finest  view  in  Great 
Britain." 

"The  sight  of  one  sunrise  from  the  summit  of  the 
Snowdon,  repays  all  the  trouble  and  expense  of  reach- 
ing there,"  said  Taliesin.  "It  is  grand  beyond  de- 
scription." 

"  And  yet  Taliesin  I  would  be  very  glad  to  hear  a  de- 
scription of  it,"  said  Gwennie. 

"  My  descriptive  powers  are  weak,"  said  Taliesin, 
"  and  I  cannot  do  the  subject  justice.  I  will  simply 
say  that  we  reached  the  top  of  the  famous  mountain 


LLAXGOBAITH. 


about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  white  vapor 
rested  thick  and  heavily  on  the  valleys,  which  gave  the 
scene  the  resemblance  of  a  surrounding  sea,  while 
above  the  fog,  the  summit  of  lower  mountains  stood 
forth  like  so  many  islands.  The  great  expectation  was 
for  the  signs  of  the  approaching  sun.  Presently  the 
eastern  sky,  just  above  the  horizon,  gave  unmistake 
able  indications  that  the  great  Regent  of  day  was  about 
to  appear.  His  shooting  forerunners  became  thicker 
and  thicker,  until  the  firmament  was  clothed  with  un- 
describable  glory  and  splendor !  We  stood  in  silent 
admiration  while  the  grand  orb  made  its  advent  like  a 
wheel  of  crimson  fire !  The  sight  is  far  different  from 
any  sunrise  ever  witnessed  while  standing  on  the  plains. 
The  orb  appears  much  larger :  and  owing  to  some  op- 
tical illusion  or  something  else,  it  seems  to  be  changing 
its  form  from  round  to  oblong  for  a  few  moments  after 
making  its  full  appearance,  and  then  settling  down 
into  its  ordiary  roundness.  While  the  rising  sun  is  the 
most  inspiring  sight  from  the  heights  of  the  Snowdon, 
on  a  clear  day  the  Isle  of  Man  and  the  mountains  of 
Ireland  are  clearly  visible." 

"  Thank  you,  Taliesin !"  said  Gwennie,  "  I  have  been 
very  much  interested." 

"  And  so  say  we  all,"  said  Llewelyn. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

THE  MINSTREL  AXD  A  PULPIT  ORATOR. 

The  guests  were  received  at  Thrush  Grove  with  all 
that  genuine  warmth  and  affection  for  which  Mrs. 
Parry  was  noted.  While  no  one  was  better  versed  in 
all  the  requirements  of  etiquette,  and  the  demands  of 
genteel  society,  she  never  permitted  these  requirements 
when  among  her  friends  to  restrain  the  natural  sponta- 
neous heartiness  of  her  nature.  Her  countenance 
beamed  with  smiles,  while  her  ringing  voice  of  melody 
broke  forth  in  sentences  that  charmed  every  society  in 
which  she  mingled.  She  was  universally  known  and 
admired  by  the  ever  ready  encouragement  she  gave  to 
every  charitable  enterprise  within  her  reach.  Among 
the  poor  there  were  hundreds  that  rose  and  called  her 
"  blessed."  Such,  and  much  more,  was  the  mistress  of 
Thrush  Grove,  who  now,  with  a  face  radiant  with  glad- 
ness, stood  at  the  door  of  her  elegant  mansion  to  wel- 
come the  young  company  from  Llangobaith. 

"Ah,  you  have  come !  Talieain,  how  finely  you  look," 
she  said,  as  she  warmly  embraced  her  nephew.  Then 
rushing  to  Gwennie  and  Helen,  she  kissed  their  beau- 
tiful cheeks.  After  this,  she  gave  Llewelyn  such  a  cor- 
dial grasp  of  the  hand  that  at  once  made  him  feel  very 


38  LLANOOBAITH. 

much  at  home.  "Is  not  this  a  most  delightful  day?  I 
know  you  oiust  have  enjoyed  the  ride.  I  am  so  glad 
to  see  you !  Arthur,  my  darling,  these  are  your  mam- 
ma's friends.  Yes,  kiss  him.  He  is  my  great  treasure, 
for  which  I  daily  thank  the  Lord !  Now  come  in,  and 
be  sure  that  you  are  welcome  to  Thrush  Grove !  Tal- 
iesin  has  written  so  much  about  you  that  I  feel  as  if 
we  were  well  acquainted.  I  am  going  to  call  you 
Gwennie  and  Helen ;  and  this  tall,  fine  looking  gentle- 
man I  shall  call  Llewelyn.  There  is  not  a  more  charm- 
ing name  in  all  the  kingdom.  "  Llywelyn  ein  llyvs 
olaf."  Here,  Gaenor!  take  the  young  ladies'  things 
into  tbeir  rooms.  Gwennie,  you  have  grown  tall  since  I 
saw  you  last.  Dear  me !  it  seems  but  a  little  while  when 
you  were  children,  and  here  you  are  full  blown  young 
ladies!" 

"  O  no,  Mrs.  Parry.  If  I  am  tall,  I  claim  to  be  noth- 
ing more  than  a  little  inexperienced  girl,"  said  Gwennie. 

"  And  you  must  treat  us  as  such,"  said  Helen.  "  If 
we  get  naughty  and  unruly,  please  reprove  us  and 
make  us  mind." 

"And  Mrs.  Parry,"  said  Llewelyn,  "Taliesin  and  my- 
self claim  your  motherly  oversight  and  correction, 
while  we  remain  on  your  preirises." 

"Upon  my  word,"  said  Mrs.  Parry,  laughing,  "I  am 
hardly  prepared  to  take  under  my  care  four  mischiev- 
ous, inexperienced  little  children !  I  will  do  the  best  I 


THE  MINSTREL  ASD  A  PULPIT  ORATOR.        39 

can.  To  begin,  let  me  order  Taliesin  and  his  little  play- 
mate to  go  to  their  rooms,  and  get  ready  for  dinner: 
while  I  show  these  little  girls  to  their  apartments. 
This  way,  my  little  darlings !"  and  with  merry  laugh- 
ter they  left  the  parlor. 

Although  the  family  proper  at  this  mansion  consisted 
of  only  Mrs.  Parry  and  her  young  son,  it  often  abound- 
ed with  visitors.  Her  parents  were  dead.  The  distant 
relatives  of  her  husband  were  men  and  women  of  fine 
culture,  while  her  own  kin,  although  not  wealthv.  were 
highly  respectable.  Mrs.  Parry  hud  wisely  arranged 
for  her  young  friends'  visit  when  she  would  be  free 
from  other  visiting  friends. 

At  dinner  the  conversation  naturally  turned  on  the 
journey  and  the  joke  Dick  played  upon  the  heir  of  Riv- 
erside. 

"Dick  is  proud  of  a  joke,  and  sometimes  he  carries 
it  pretty  far,"  said  Mrs.  Parry  "  I  suppose  the}-  par- 
take of  the  nature  of  first  of  April  deceptions,  which  so 
many  look  upon  as  innocent.  But  unfortunately,  Dick's 
jokes  are  not  confined  to  All  Fools'  Day." 

The  dinner  hour  passed  away  delightfully.  The  free 
and  easj'  manner  of  the  hostess,  served  to  drive  away 
all  restraint.  Mrs.  Parry  noticed  this  ease  with  great 
satisfaction,  and  was  already  sure  that  before  her  young 
guests  there  weve  days  of  pure  enjoyment. 

After  dinner,  they  were  taken   through  the  various 


40  LLANGOBAITH. 

commodious  apartments,  and  they  -were  deeply  inter- 
ested in  aP  they  saw.  At  last  they  came  to  a  very  large 
room  that  had  somewhat  the  appearance  of  a  chapel. 
There  were  many  seats,  but  the  absence  of  anything 
in  the  shape  of  a  pulpit  showed  that  it  was  not  intended 
as  a  place  of  worship.  Neither  did  the  decorations, 
and  the  numerous  mottoes  which  the  walls  presented 
indicate  anything  particularly  devotional.  High  above 
the  stage,  or  platform,  was  a  beautiful  banner  bearing 
the  national  Welsh  emblems  ;  while  beneath  it  hung  a 
fine  picture  of  the  harp.  In  other  parts  were  found  in 
ornamental  capitals,  "  Oes  y  byd  i'r  iaith  Gymraeg," 
(the  world's  lifetime  to  the  Welsh  language),  and  other 
patriotic  sentiments. 

"Col.  Parry,  my  husband's  father,  was  an  enthusi- 
astic lover  of  his  nation,"  said  Mrs.  Parry,  in  a  manner 
which  showed  the  deep  reverence  in  which  she  held  the 
name  of  the  worthy  departed.  "From  the  days  of  his 
youth,  he  had  proven  himself  a  warm  friend  of  our  na- 
tional Eisteddfod.  While  a  great  admirer  of  poetry, 
especially  in  the  'restricted  measures,'  the  favorite  fea- 
ture to  him  at  our  Welsh  festival  was  harp-playing,  to- 
gether with  that  feature  of  vocal  melody  which  we  call 
'  Penillion  singing.'  He  not  only  encouraged  this  fea- 
ture of  the  Eisteddfod,  but  twice  a  year  he  would  have 
this  delightful  competition,  on  a  smaller  scale,  at  his 
own  home  and  at  his  own  expense.  This  room  was 


THE  MINSTREL  AND  A  PULPIT  ORATOR.        41 

prepared  for  this  very  purpose.  In  his  last  will  he 
made  specific  provision  for  the  continuance  of  these 
meetings  once  a  year,  with  a  prize  of  five  guineas  for 
the  best  ranwr  yyd  cCr  delyn  (singer  with  the  harp), 
and  two  guineas  and  a  half  for  the  second  best.  It  is 
confined  to  our  parish.  The  company  i.s  select.  Free 
admission  to  all  as  spectators  would  overcrowd  the 
room,  and  ruin  the  meeting.  One  of  the  best  harpers 
in  the  Principality  is  selected  to  plav  on  these  occa- 
sions, and  to  select  judges.  The  yearly  competition 
will  take  place  to-morrow  afternoon,  and  I  am  sure  you 
will  be  delighted." 

"We  certainly  shall,  Mrs.  Parry,'  said  Gwennio. 
"The  melody  of  the  Welsh  harp  always  thrills  my  soul. 
and  this  'canu  penillion  '  will  be  something  that  I  have 
never  witnessed." 

Just  then  the  loud  vibrations  of  harp  music  from  an 
adjoining  room  fell  on  their  ears. 

"I  was  just  going  to  tell  you,"  said  Mrs.  Parry, 
"that  Lewis  Morris,  our  harper,  had  already  arrived. 
He  is  not  only  an  accomplished  player,  but  he  possesses 
a  ripe  and  thorough  knowledge  of  ancient  Welsh  lore. 
He  seems  to  know  the  history  of  our  people  by  heart, 
from  the  invasion  of  Julius  Caesar  to  the  present  time. 
His  stories,  with  his  manner  of  telling  them,  are  per- 
fectly captivating.  At  my  house  he  is  always  a  welcome 

visitor.    I  would  most  gladly  have  him  sit  with  us  at  the 
3 


42  LLANOOBAITH. 

table,  but  he  insists  on  putting  himself  on  a  lower 
scale." 

"Will  he  play  for  us,  Mrs.  Parry?"  asked  Helen, 
who,  like  Gwennie,  .was  very  fond  of  music. 

"Indeed  he  will,  my  dear,  and  sing  also,"  said  Mrs. 
Parry.  "Let  us  go  in  and  it  will  greatly  please  him." 

His  appearance  was  such  as  at  once  to  inspire  re- 
spect, and  even  reverence.  His  countenance  denoted 
intelligence  and  thought.  His  movements  were  delib- 
erate and  systematic.  His  eyes  were  dark ;  his  hair 
white  and  long,  falling  gracefully  upon  his  shoulders. 

"  Lewis  Moms,  these  are  my  friends  from  Llangob- 
aith,"  said  the  mistress.  "  They  will  be  highly  pleased 
to  hear  some  of  your  melody,  both  vocal  and  instru- 
mental." 

"  At  any  time  while  your  young  friends  remain  at 
Llwyn  y  Fronfraith,  it  will  give  me  the  greatest  pleas- 
ure to  be  their  obedient  servant,"  said  the  minstrel  in 
the  most  respectful  manner,  as  he  moved  toward  the 
instrument. 

The  harp  was  large,  and  of  the  old  Welsh  style,  hav- 
ing three  rows  of  strings.  In  this  manner,  at  that  day, 
the  semitones  in  all  the  keys  were  easily  reached. 
While  the  pedal  in  this  respect  is  a  grand  improvement, 
we  fail  to  hear  from  the  modern  harp  that  full  volume 
of  sound  that  fell  on  the  enraptured  ears  of  our  fathers 
from  the  old  Welsh  harp. 


THE  MINSTREL  AND  A  PULPIT  ORATOR-         43 

The  minstrel  sat  down  to  his  favorite  instrument, 
closed  his  eyes,  gave  his  face  an  upward,  listening  atti- 
tude, while  his  white,  delicate  fingers  swept  the  well- 
tuned  strings ;  and  at  once  our  young  friends  were  en- 
tranced by  melody  such  as  they  had  never  heard  before ! 
At  first  it  moved  gently,  like  a  smooth,  running  river 
along  the  verdant  plain  ;  and  agaiu  like  a  mighty  tor- 
rent rushing  impetuously  down  the  cliff.  The  music 
was  of  the  minstrel's  own  composition,  descriptive  of 
one  of  the  great  battles  of  the  Welsh  with  the  invaders 
of  their  country. 

"  O  we  thank  you  very  much  for  your  wonderful 
playing  and  superior  music!"  said  Gwennie.  "I  never 
heard  the  like,  and  I  shall  never  forget  this  day  as  long 
as  I  live !" 

"  The  young  lady  expresses  herself  in  very  strong 
terms,"  said  the  harper,  gently  smiling. 

"  She  gives  the  sentiments  of  her  companions  as  well 
as  her  own,"  said  Llewelyn.  "I  cannot  speak  as  a 
judge,  but  my  feelings  are  wonderfully  stirred.'' 

"Will  our  good  harper  play  and  sing  Jfor/a  Rhu<ld- 
lan  for  me  and  my  friends,  and  make  some  historical 
remarks  t"  asked  Mrs.  Parry. 

"With  great  pleasure,  madam,"  said  Lewis  Morris. 

The  Marsh  of  Rhuddlan  is  noted  in  history  as  the 
spot  where  a  great  battle  was  fought  in  the  year  795 
between  the  Welsh,  commanded  by  Caradoc,  King  of 


44  LLANOOBAITH. 

North  Wales,  and  the  Saxons,  commanded  by  their 
prince  in  person.  The  fortune  of  war  at  this  time  was 
with  the  Saxons,  and  the  Welsh  were  defeated  with 
terrible  slaughter.  All  that  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
invaders  were  massacred.  The  battle  was  fought  at 
low  water,  and, the  wounded,  dead  and  dying  at  the  re- 
turn of  the  tide  were  engulfed  in  the  sea,  while  thou- 
sands who  endeavored  to  escape  across  the  marsh 
shared  the  same  fate.  Tradition  says  that  this  plaint- 
ive melody  which  I  am  about  to  sing  and  play,  was 
composed  by  Caradoc's  bard  after  the  battle  was 
lost." 

He  then,  to  that  melody  so  well  known  to  the  Welsh 
as  "  Morfa  Rhuddlan,"  sung  the  following  words,  into 
which  he  threw  all  the  pathetic  powers  of  his  harp  and 
voice : 

Dead  is  Caradoo  !    The  army  retreating ! 

Wounded  and  dying,  they  lie  o'er  the  plain : 
Cambria,  fair  Cambria,  break  forth  into  weeping, 

Lost  is  the  day  and  the  chieftain  is  slain  ! 
-  Fallen  are  thy  heroes— the  pride  of  Eryri, 

Shouting  and  singing  are  hushed  evermore, 
Britain's  proud  emblems  all  tattered  and  gory, 
Lie  low  with  their  bearers  on  Hhuddlan's  sad  shore  ! 

High  were  their  hopes  jn  the  morning  at  daylight, 
Each'heart  was  merry  and  swelling  with  pride; 

Sad  was  their  fate  ere  the  day's  evening  twilight, 
Low  they  were  sleeping  by  Rhuddlan's  dark  tide  ! 


THE   MINSTREL   AND   A    PULPIT    ORATOR.  45 

Lute,  harp  and  minstrel,  in  strains  soft  and  lowly, 
Bring  forth  your  tribute  and  sing  of  the  brave, 

Mournfully  chant  in  accents  most  holy, 

The  praise  of  the  heroes  that  sleep  'nenth  the  wave. 

They  were  about  to  leave,  when  the  young  heir  of 
Thrush  Grove  put  in  a  plea  for  his  favorite. 

"Mamma,  I  want  Lewis  Morris  to  piny  and  sing 
<Fah,  la,  la,  la.'  I  like  that  the  best." 

"  That  I  shall  do  with  pleasure,  young  master,"  said 
the  harper,  as  at  once  he  struck  into  old  ">V<w  tritlan" 
(New  Year's  Eve),  each  line  followed  by  "  Fall,  la,  la,  la.'1 
With  this  Arthur  was  quite  carried  away.  He  ran 
around  the  room  perfectly  delighted,  while  the  vener- 
able minstrel  seemed  to  be  much  pleased. 

About  two  miles  to  the  south-east  from  Thrush 
Grove  was  a  prominent  farm-house  by  the  name  of  ''  Pen 
y  Caerau."  Thomas  Lewis,  with  his  family,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church,  which  at  that  time  in  North 
Wales  was  comparatively  weak.  In  the  absence  of 
chapels,  their  ministers  often  preached  in  private  resi- 
dences. The  large,  old-fashioned  "  gegin"  (kitchen) at 
Pen  y  Caerau  had  often  resounded  with  the  flaming 
oratory  of  many  a  Baptist  itinerant.  On  this  Monday 
evening  Rev.  Christmas  Evans,  whose  fame  was  already 
throughout  the  Principality,  was  to  preach  at  this 
house,  and  an  invitation  had  been  sent  to  Mrs.  Parry 


46  LLANGOBAITH. 

to  come  and  hear  the  noted  pulpit  orator.  In  this  she 
would  be  governed  by  the  wishes  of  her  guests. 

She  found  them  as  anxious  to  see  and  hear  the  cele- 
brated minister  as  herself.  So  they  took  an  early  start 
so  as  to  secure  seats.  Long  before  the  regular  hour 
for  service,  the  large  "  gegin "  was  completely  filled  ; 
and  when  the  meeting  commenced,  other  rooms  were 
crowded,  and  scores  were  compelled  to  remain  out  of 
doors. 

His  opening  prayers  always  partook  of  the  peculiari- 
ty of  his  preaching,  and  were  often  attended  with  won- 
derful power.  It  was  so  here.  The  congregation  was 
thoroughly  stirred,  and  were  in  a  good  mood  to  receive 
that  which  followed.  There  was  a  peculiarity  about 
the  preaching  of  Christmas  Evans  that  no  one  ever 
dared  to  imitate.  In  him  it  was  natural  and  easy.  In 
others  it  would  have  been  unnatural,  out  of  harmony, 
and  even  ludicrous.  At  first  he  was  deliberate  and  con- 
versational. He  planned  his  work,  and  laid  the  founda- 
tion. His  great  soul  warmed  as  he  went  on.  Sentences 
strange  in  their  construction  and  power  fell  over  his 
lips.  Figures  never  before  heard,  startled  the  ears  of 
his  audience. 

At  this  time  he  chose  for  his  theme,  "  The  evil  spirit 
wandering  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest  and  finding 
none,"  or  Satanic  agency  defeated  in  a  mind  preoccu- 
pied by  holiness.  Said  he — 


THE    MINSTREL    AND    A    PULPIT    ORATOR.  47 

"I  see  the  evil  spirit  rising  from  his  cavern,  bent  on 
the  destruction  of  souls.  He  was  on  a  wide  Welsh 
moor,  and  approaching  him  in  the  distance  was  a  poor 
plow-boy.  'Now,'  said  Satan,  making  toward  'him,  'I 
will  get  into  that  boy's  heart,  lead  him  astray,  make 
him  vicious,  a  thief  and  a  murderer.'  But  to  the  devil's 
astonishment  and  mortification,  the  boy,  with  his  face 
aglow  with  the  love  of  God,  broke  out  in  song — 

'  My  God,  the  spring  of  all  my  joys, 

The  life  of  my  delights, 
The  glory  of  my  brightest  days. 
And  comfort  of  my  nights.1 

'Aha!'  cried  the  devil,  'this  is  a  dry  place,  surely!' 
He  had  sought  rest  and  found  none. 

He  next  came  to  a  lovely  village  in  a  Welsh  valley  ; 
and  there  by  a  cottage  door,  sat  a  young  damsel  spin- 
ning flax.  •  Here  is  another  chance !'  cried  the  devil. 
'I  will  enter  into  that  young  heart.  I  will  whisper  im- 
purity there !  I  will  lead  her  on  to  her  rum !  But  as  he 
drew  nigh,  our  Welsh  girl  also  broke  forth  in  sacred 
song,  that  echoed  along  the  mountain  sides — 

'  Should  earth  against  my  soul  engage, 

And  fiery  darts  be  hurled, 
Then  I  can  smile  at  Satan's  rage, 
And  face  a  frowning  world.' 

'Ah!'  cried  Satan,  again  foiled,  'this,  too,  is  a  dry 
place !'  and  off  he  went. 


48  LLANOOBAITH. 

Satan  wandered  about,  weary  and  unsuccessful,  the 
whole  of  that  day.  Night  came — deep,  dark  night. 
He  passed  through  a  still  little  hamlet.  The  lights 
were  out  in  all  the  cottages  save  one.  There  in  an  up- 
per room,  a  faint  light  was  seen,  and  the  devil  took 
courage.  '  There,'  said  he,  '  old  Williams  is  dying  ! 
If  I  can  get  him  to  doubt,  then  despair,  then  curse  God 
and  die,  that  will  be  worthy  of  a  devil!'  and  Satan 
chuckled  at  the  thought.  He  went  up  staii'8,  and  as  he 
was  crossing  to  whisper  evil  thoughts  into  the  mind  of 
the  dying  man,  old  Williams  roused  himself,  and  in 
feeble  accents,  while  his  countenance  became  heavenly, 
he  cried,  '  Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  I  shall  fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with 
me,  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me !' 

'Ah!'  cried  the  devil,  'this  is  the  dryest  place  of 
all ! '  and  full  of  rage,  he  hastened  away  to  the  place 
from  whence  he  came." 

The  meeting  closed,  and  all  went  home  well  con- 
vinced that  the  one-eyed  preacher  from  the  south  was 
indeed  one  of  Wales'  pulpit  celebrities. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

NATIONALITY. 

Among  the  Welsh,  both  at  homo  and  abroad,  the 
man  that  disdains  his  own  nation  and  language  is 
termed  "Dick  Shon  Dafydd."  The  term  originated 
many  years  ago  with  John  Jouos  of  '•  Glan-y-gors,"  a 
gentleman  of  fine  poetical  talents,  unbounded  humor. 
and  abundant  sarcasm.  He  wrote  a  number  of  ballads, 
in  which  those  persons  who,  on  the  strength  of  a  short 
residence  in  England,  look  with  contempt  on  their  na- 
tive land  and  mother  tongue,  were  severely  ridiculed. 
In  one  of  these  "  Dick  Shon  Dafydd  "  is  the  hero.  The 
song  in  Wales  became  immensely  popular,  and  hence 
the  term. 

Not  far  from  Thrush  Grove,  there  was  a  farm  of 
some  prominence,  which  at  this  time  was  partially 
known  as  Bryn  y  Wainrddydd.  (Daydawn  Hill.)  For 
generations  it  had  been  known  as  "Clawdd  Cam/' 
(Crooked  Hedge.)  The  old  house  had  recently  been 
demolished,  and  a  fine  new  mansion  stood  in  its  place. 
Mrs.  Jones  and  her  two  daughters,  Martha  and  Catha- 
rine, insisted  that  from  henceforth  "  Crooked  Hedge'1 
should  never  be  mentioned,  and  that  "  Daydawu  Hill '' 
should  reign  supreme.  Contrary  to  the  wishes  of  the 


50  LLANGOBAITH. 

unpretending  husband  and  father,  this  new  name  had 
been  pubHcly  announced  in  the  weekly  papers  and  the 
monthly  magazines.  But  Daydawn  Hill  made  very 
poor  progress  in  establishing  its  supremacy,  and  to  the 
utter  disgust  of  Mrs.  Jones  and  her  daughters.  Crooked 
Hedge,  although  repelled  at  headquarters,  would  rush 
unceremoniously  into  the  front. 

Ellis  Jones  had  a  brother  in  Liverpool  who  was  a 
man  of  much  wealth.  Daydawn  Hill  was  really  the 
property  of  this  Liverpool  brother,  who  for  years  had 
rented  it  to  Ellis  on  very  easy  terms.  Mrs.  Jones  of  the 
country,  with  her  daughters,  often  went  to  Liverpool, 
staying  sometimes  for  several  weeks  at  the  residence  of 
Kichard  Jones,  where  they  always  found  abundant  wel- 
come. From  England  they  would  come  home  and  as- 
tonish, as  well  as  disgust,  their  neighbors  with  their  ex- 
travagant praise  of  everything  that  was  English,  with 
a  corresponding  coldness  toward  Welsh  customs. 
Gradually  their  native  language,  with  which  they  were 
perfectly  familial*,  was  exchanged  in  their  home  conver- 
sation for  a  wretched  bad  English.  The  father  gave 
unmistakable  signs  of  dissatisfaction  with  this  strange 
innovation,  but  being  a  quiet  man,  he  made  no  open 
demonstration  against  it.  He,  however,  vclung  to  his 
native  Welsh,  both  in  his  questions  and  answers ;  and 
at  one  time  he  ventured  to  say  that  he  was  sorry  for 


NATIONALITY.  51 

the  poor  English  language  that  was  so  terribly  tortured 
and  mangled  under  his  own  roof. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  this  mother  and  daugh- 
ters were  destitute  of  excellencies.  Far  otherwise.  They 
were  kind,  and  naturally  of  an  affectionate  disposition. 
They  were  good  to  the  poor,  and  correct  in  their  morals. 
But  there  was  in  their  nature  a  degree  of  vanity,  and 
like  many  others  in  Wales,  they  had  imbibed  the  idea 
that  nothing  would  add  so  much  to  their  importance  as 
to  become  Anglicized  :  and  this  feeling  led  them  to 
abandon  their  grand  native  language  and  pay  honor  to 
a  foreign  tongue  with  which  the}*  had  but  a  very  super- 
ficial acquaintance.  Thus  they  drew  upon  themselves 
th«  ridicule  of  some,  and  the  pity  of  others. 

Mrs.  Parry  was  really  sorry  that  a  family  possessing 
so  many  worthy  traits,  had  been  overtaken  with  this 
weakness.  Some  two  days  before  the  arrival  of  her 
guests  from  Llangobaith,  while  conversing  with  Mr. 
Williams,  Ty  Mawr.  a  gentleman  of  wealth  and  talent. 
perfectly  at  home  in  both  languages,  she  had  alluded 
with  a  degree  of  regret  to  this  one  great  folly  of  these 
good  lad'es. 

"  If  they  could  only  express  themselves  correctly  in 
the  English  language  it  would  not  be  so  bad ;  although 
even  then  it  would  be  sadly  out  of  place,"  said  Mrs. 
Parry.  "  But  they  cannot  put  together  one  grammati- 
cal sentence ;  and  it  distresses  me  to  hear  them.  I 


52  LLANGOBAITH.. 

know  that  they  can  speak  Welsh  with  perfect  ease.  I 
do  wish  !;hat  something  could  be  done  or  said  to  re- 
deem them  from  this  ludicrous  folly." 

"Will  they  beat  the  musical  contest  ?"  asked  Mr. 
Williams. 

"  They  have  been  invited,  and  they  always  attend," 
was  the  answer. 

"Let  us  hope  that  they  will  hear  something  on  that 
occasion  that  will  be  to  their  advantage,"  said  Mr.  Wil- 
liams with  a  smile. 

Early  in  the  afternoon,  and  long  before  the  hour  ap- 
pointed for  the  vocal  competition,  the  invited  friends 
began  to  assemble.  They  were  received  with  smiles  of 
welcome,  and  given  the  full  privilege  of  the  house, 
gardens  and  ornamental  grounds.  Among  others  were 
found  our  friends  from  Daydawn  Hill.  There  were 
many  present  who  could  converse  freely  and  correctly 
in  English ;  but  the  flow  of  conversation  was  in  Welsh. 
Mrs.  Jones  and  her  daughters,  however,  inflicted  their 
spurious  foreign  production  upon  all  who" would  have 
the  patience  to  listen  to  them. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Parry,''  said  the  mistress  of  Daydawn 
Hill  "I  vei7  glad  to  see  you.  To-day  is  a  very 
beautiful  weather.  There  is  hundreds  of  peoples  here 
already.  I  never  see  so  nice  place  as  Thruss  Grove !  I 
am  put  in  mind  of  Garden  of  Eden."  And  thus  she 


NATIONALITY.  .     53 

went  on  for  some  time  in  her  violent  assault  on  the 
King's  English. 

Airs.  Parry,  in  spite  of  all  her  efforts  to  appeal*  calm 
and  unmoved,  had  to  smile ;  and  Mrs.  Jones  had  a 
vague  impression  that  her  effort  had  not  been  a  per- 
fect success. 

Here  Arthur  saw  fit  to  propound  a  question  in  un- 
mistakable ringing  Welsh. 

"  Mamma,  what  makes  Mrs.  Joues  try  to  talk  English, 
when  she  don't  know  how  ?  " 

"  Arthur,  my  child,  it  is  not  pretty  to  talk  in  that 
way,''  said  the  mother,  somewhat  embarrassed,  while 
Mrs.  Jones1  face  showed  additional  color. 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  be  naughty,  mamma."  said  the  boy; 
"I  am  sorry.  I  shall  not  do  so  again.  I  only  wanted 
to  know  why  Mrs.  Jones  tries  to  talk  English  when — 

"Arthur!''  cried  the  mother,  interrupting  him,  and 
taking  him  by  the  hand.  "  Now  run  to  Mr.  Williams, 
Ty  Mawr.  There  he  is."  And  the  boy,  with  a  run  and 
a  jump,  found  himself  in  the  extended  arms  of  his 
friend,  who  was  near  by,  and  had  witnessed  the  whole 
with  laughing  interest. 

Mrs.  Parry  made  an  apology  for  Arthur,  begged  to 
be  excused,  and  hastened  to  entertain  other  friends, 
while  Mrs.  Jones  mingled  in  other  circles  and  strove  in 
vain  to  forget  the  unwelcome  question  asked  by  the 
young  heir  of  Llwyn  y  Fronfraith. 


54      .  LLANGOBAITH. 

The  daughters  had  been  formally  introduced  to  our 
y6ung  friends  from  Llangobaith,  and  seemed  to  be  de- 
lighted with  their  appearance.  While  Martha  and 
Catharine  were  quite  deficient  in  correct  English  con- 
versation, they  were  in  that  line  a  decided  improvement 
on  their  mother. 

"  Miss  Lloyd,"  said  Martha  (in  English  of  course), 
"you  have  learn  to  talk  English  quite  ready,  I  suppose/' 

"  I  can  converse  in  that  language  when  occasions  re- 
quire," said  Gwennie,  '.'  but  I  feel  much  more  at  home 
in  my  native  tongue,  which  I  so  dearly  love." 

"It  requires  to  live  some  time  in  England  before  we 
can  talk  proper,"  said  Martha.  "We  go  to  Liverpool 
regilar  almost  every  year.  Our  cousins  don't  talk 
nothing  but  English,  and  so  my  sister  and  me  get  a 
good  chance  to  speak  English  without  the  Welsh 
broke." 

Here,  in  mercy  to  our  Llangobaith  friends,  who  had 
listened  to  an  astonishing  exhibition  of  "  Welsh  broke," 
the  bell  rang  for  the  contest,  and  the  conversation  was 
brought  to  an  end. 

The  sittings  were  beautifully  arranged  in  a  semi- 
circle from  the  stage.  The  room  was  tastefully  decora- 
ted with  evergreens  and  flowers  worked  by  artistic 
fingers  into  national  mottoes.  In  the  centre  of  the 
wide  stage,  were  two  magnificent  harps.  At  the  re- 
quest of  Lewis  Morris,  in  order  to  add  to  the  interest 


NATIONALITY.  55 

of  the  occasion,  a,  noted  harper  from  Ptrllheli,  by  the 
name  of  Richard  Thomas,  had  arrived  on  that  morning. 
There  were  three  judges  who  sat  in  their  respective 
chairs  in  front  of  the  platform  Five  contestants  sat, 
three  to  the  right  and  two  to  the  left  of  the  harpers. 

The  grand  opening  was  a  heavy  instrumental  war- 
piece  called  "  The  Camp,''  performed  as  a  duett  on  the 
two  harps.  The  execution  was  brilliant  and  the  effect 
fine.  The  minstrels  were  absorbed  in  the-  theme,  and 
their  fingers  swept  the  strings  as  if  by  magic.  The 
highly  descriptive  piece  came  to  an  cud :  the  tumult  of 
war  ceased,  and  victory  perched  on  the  banners  of  the 
Britons. 

Now  began  the  competition  in  cann  pen'dlion  (verse 
singing.)  For  many  generations  this  musical  feature 
has  been  in  high  repute  among  the  Welsh.  It  is  not 
an  easy  matter  to  make  it  intelligible  to  the  English 
mind,  nor  indeed  to  any  one  who  has  never  listened  to 
it.  Among  the  nations  we  find  nothing  like  it.  The 
style  must  have  had  a  gradual  evolution  from  untutored 
wildness  to  a  regulated  science.  Instead  of  the  harp 
being  an  accompaniment  to  the  vocal  music,  the  sing- 
ing, in  some  ingenious  manner,  is  rendered  an  accom- 
paniment to  the  instrument.  With  an  astonishing 
precision,  the  vocalist  not  only  glides  through  the  dif 
ferent  chords,  but  adapts  the  words  of  all  conceivable 
metres  to  the  same  melody.  Even  the  Englyn,  the 


56  LLANOOBAITH. 

Awdl  and  the  Ci/wi/dd  are  brought  into  melodious  ser- 
vice, and  their  huge  proportions  worked  in  most  beauti- 
fully. This  is  done  somewhat  QJU  the  principle  of  our 
modern  chanting ;  but  it  is  quite  different  in  many  of 
its  features. 

The  contestants  showed  great  proficiency,  not  only 
in  the  correctness  of  their  vocal  rendering,  but  also  in 
the  almost  endless  variety  of  their  penillion  (verses.) 
Some  of  these  were  highly  meritorious  on  the  score  of 
composition.  Others  were  so  light  and  comical  as  to 
cause  bursts  of  laughter  ;  but  nothing  was  heard  ap- 
proaching vulgarity.  This  would  at  once  have  thrown 
the  singer  out  of  the  contest.  No  penill  sung  by  one, 
could  be  repeated  by  another. 

At  the  end  of  one  hour  the  singers  were  permitted 
to  rest,  and  the  harpers  in  unison  favored  the  audience 
with  a  number  of  Welsh  melodies  which  had  not  been 
introduced  in  the  competition. 

The  second  part  of  the  contest  was  brief  and  highly 
enjoyable ;  and  to  those  who  were  not  versed  in  the 
technicalities  of  correct  penillion  singing,  it  was  hard 
to  form  any  opinion  as  to  who  would  prove  victorious. 

Lewis  Morris  quietly  laid  aside  his  harp,  bowed  to 
the  audience,  and  said:  "While  the  adjudicators  are 
absent  we  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  re- 
marks from  a  gentleman  who  is  well  known  to  you  all, 
as  a  lover  of  his  nation  and  a  generous  patron  of  Welsh 


NATIONALITY.  57 

literature  and  Welsh  music — Mr.  John  Williams  of 
"  Ty  Mawr." 

Amid  great  applause,  Mr.  Williams  reached  the  plat- 
form and  said,  "  Ladies  and  Gentlemen :  For  this  rich 
music-feast  which  we  have  so  highly  enjoyed,  we  are 
chiefly  indebted  to  the  noble  patriot,  scholar,  soldier 
and  philanthropist,  the  late  Col.  Parry,  of  Trush  Grove. 
[Cheers.]  His  memory  still  perfumes  the  moral  atmos- 
phere throughout  this  whole  region  of  country.  Welsh 
bards  of  coming  generations  shall  sing  of  his  noble 
deeds,  while  the  minstrels  of  future  ages  shall  gladly 
strike  their  harps  in  honor  of  his  name. 

Col.  Parry  was  a  thorough  Welshman  in  the  best 
sense  of  that  term.  That  means  much  more  than  to 
be  born  in  Wales  of  Welsh  parents.  He  was  proud  of 
his  Welsh  birth,  his  native  mountains,  native  tongue. 
Welsh  music,  Welsh  pulpit  oratory,  the  Welsh  harp 
and  the  Welsh  Eisteddfod.  That  is  what  I  mean  by 
the  term  thorough  Welshman.  [Loud  cheering.]  The 
best  way  to  honor  Col.  Parry's  memory  is  to  follow  his 
noble  examples.  I  am  sorry  to  know  that  in  many 
places  there  is  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  some  to  dis- 
card our  noble  institutions,  and  our  grand  mother 
tongue,  and  to  fall  down  and  worship  at  the  English 
shrine.  There  is  among  us  a  foolish  aping  everything1 
that  savors  of  England.  Our  splendid  Omeraeg  is 
thrust  aside  by  vain  ignoramuses  before  they  are  able 


58  LLANGOBAITH. 

to  speak  one  correct  sentence  in  the  language  of  our 
English  neighbors.  The  race  of  Dick  Shon  Dafydd 
is  on  the  increase ;  and  wherever  we  go  our  ears  are 
pained  by  hearing  horribly  bad  English  from  "  Pigpen 
Bill"  and  "  Frogpond  Nancy.''  [Tremendous  cheers  and 
laughter.]  I  respect  those  who  from  a  noble  purpose 
seek  a  knowledge  of  the  English  language;  but  those 
are  not  the  people  that  discard  their  own,  and  make 
themselves  ludicrous  even  to  the  children.  Those  who 
go  from  Wales  to  England,  remain  there  a  year  or  two, 
and  come  back  having  forgotten  their  native  language, 
are  more  troubled  with  the  lack  of  good  Welsh  brains 
than  a  Welsh  tongue.  [Cheers.] 

This  is  a  fitting  occasion  to  mention  also  the  name  of 
Captain  Parry,  who  walked  in  the  footsteps  of  his  illus- 
trious father.  A  mysterious  providence  took  him  away 
while  yet  young,  and  his  wishes  are  fully  carried  out  by 
the  lady  that  we  all  respect.  [Loud  cheering.]  May 
Heaven  watch  over  the  young  heir  of  Thrush  Grove ! 
[Wild  and  prolonged  cheering,  with  loud  calls  for  Ar- 
thur.] Yes,  I  venture  to  say  that  Arthur  will  oblige  us. 
With  the  consent  of  his  mother  he  will  come  on  the  stage." 

The  boy,  nothing  daunted,  left  his  mother,  and  in  a 
moment  was  on  the  platform.  With  a  smile  on  his 
fair  face,  he  bowed  to  the  audience,  and  cried  out  at 
the  top  of  his  voice.  "  OES  Y  BYD  I'H  IAITH  GYMRAEO  !'' 
(The  world's  lifetime  to  the  Welsh  language.)  He  then 


NATIONALITY.  59 

hastened  down  and  joined  his  mother,  while  the  room 
rang  with  loud  cheers. 

There  is  no  telling  what  Mr.  Williams  would  have 
further  said.  The  judges  came  in,  and  the  orator  left 
the  stage.  Silence  was  soon  restored,  and  the  follow- 
ing adjudication  was  read : 

"  We  are  free  to  say  that  at  no  previous  contest  have 
we  witnessed  so  perfect  a  specimen  of  penillion  sing- 
ing as  we  have  to-day.  Each  of  these  excellent  vocal- 
ists has  one  or  more  perfections  which  the  others  do 
not  possess.  We  have  agreed  upon  two  that  hi  our 
judgment  have  presented  more  of  these  excellencies  than 
have  the  other  three.  The  first  prize  is  awarded  to 
William  Foulkes  of  '  Gelli '  and  the  second  to  Thomas 
Morgan  of  'Brithdir.'  " 

The  announcement  was  received  with  loud  cheering, 
in  which  the  vanquished  heartily  joined. 

"  I  have  a  word  more  to  say,"  said  the  smiling  adju- 
dicator, "and  it  will  pay  you  well  to  listen.  Mrs. 
Parry,  In  behalf  of  her  young  son,  has  sent  me  three 
half  guineas  to  present  to  the  other  three  gentlemen 
who  have  done  so  well'."  Here  the  audience  rose  to 
their  feet  and  heartily  cheered,  while  Mrs.  Parry,  in 
harmony  with  a  former  custom,  decorated  the  victors 
with  appropriate  badges.  She  then  distributed  the 
prizes  and  the  presents. 

"  I  now  declare  the  contest  ended,"  said  Lewis  Moms. 
„  We  hope  to  meet  again  in  another  year." 


60  LLAXGOBAITH. 

The  reader  will  be  astonished  to  learn  that  the  mother 
and  daughters  from  Daydawn  Hill  were  wonderfully 
pleased  with  everything  from  beginning  to  end.  Their 
vanity  was  not  of  the  offensive,  stubborn  stamp,  and 
there  was  under  it  a  vast  amount  of  real  goodness.  Had 
they  been  favored  with  such  remarks  as  those  of  Williams' 
two  years  before,  they  would  have  been  saved  from 
their  folly.  Arthur  had  given  the  mother  a  preparatory 
shake,  and  the  superior  English  of  Gwennie,  and  her 
warm  profession  of  love  for  her  native  Welsh,  had  in  a 
measure  opened  the  eyes  of  the  daughters.  When,  in 
addition  to  this,  the  orator  had  brought  his  forces  to 
bear  upon  them,  they  saw  themselves  in  a  new  light. 
A  mirror  was  held  before  them  and  the  sight  was  not 
pleasant.  The  dispositions  of  the  mother  and  the 
daughters  were  so  much  alike,  that  when  brought  under 
the  same  influences  they  were  affected  in  the  same  way. 
They  seemed  to  be  cheerful  and  happy,  and  in  mingling 
with  the  company,  it  was  quickly  noticed  that  their  con- 
versation was  all  in  good,  correct,  plump  Welsh. 

This  was  the  first  opportunity  for  Gwennie  and  Hel- 
en to  enjoy  a  musical  entertainment  of  this  nature;  and 
with  its' strictly  moral  surroundings  it  had  been  to  them 
a  season  of  unmixed  pleasure.  Their  animated  counte- 
nances plainly  indicated  the  genuineness  of  their  enjoy- 
ment, while  the  remembrance  that  there  was  more  in 
reserve  increased  their  delight. 


CHAPTER  V. 

"RAVEN'S  NEST,"  AND  A  TALE  OF  CADER  IDRIS. 

John  Spike's  home  was  some  few  miles  from  Llangob- 
aith,  in  rather  a  secluded  portion  of  an  adjoining  par- 
ish, between  two  mountains.  Some  years  before  the 
advent  of  the  Spike  family  into  the  mountain  pass,  an 
eccentric  gentleman  in  Bangor  by  the  name  of  Pagett, 
who  had  abundance  of  wealth,  erected  a  house  in  this 
uninviting  locality,  and  against  the  earnest  protest  of 
his  family  he  moved  there,  where  they  lived  for  two 
years.  The  loneliness  of  the  situation  told  unfavorably 
upon  the  health  of  his  wife  and  children,  and  to  their 
great  relief  he  abandoned  the  "Raven's  Nest,"  as  lie 
called  his  mansion,  returned  with  his  family  to  the  city, 
and  advertised  for  sale  the  house  betweeh  the  moun- 
tains. 

In  a  few  days,  while  at  his  office,  he  was  approached 
by  a  person  of  a  forbidding  appearance,  who  said  that 
he  had  some  thoughts  of  purchasing  the  house. 

"And  where  do  you  come  from?"  asked  Pagett. 

"It  makes  no  difference  where  I  come  from,"  said  the 
man  in  a  harsh  voice. 

"  That  house  will  cost  you  a  good  round  sum."  said 


62  LLANOOBAITH. 

the  owner.     "  A  less  costly  mansion  would  better  suit 
your  circumstances." 

"And  what  do  you  know  about  my  circumstances  ?" 
was  the  somewhat  angry  reply.  "  I  ask  for  no  advice. 
If  jour  house  is  for  sale,  name  the  price." 

Pagett,  who  did  not  expect  to  realize  the  full  worth 
of  the  house,  said,  "  You  may  have  the  Raven's  Nest 
for  five  hundred  pounds." 

"  I  expected  to  pay  much  more,"  said  the  man,  "  but 
you  may  have  your  own  way,"  and  pulling  from  his 
pocket  a  huge  purse,  he  counted  out  in  notes  and  coin 
the  exact  sum.  He  then  said — 

"There  is  some  furniture  left.  Do  you  wish  to  sell 
that?  If  you  do,  let  me  hear  the  figure." 

"  You  can  have  the  furniture  that  is  left  for  thirty 
pounds,"  said  Pagett. 

"You  could  have  said  fifty  just  as  well,"  said  the 
rough  looking  man,  counting  the  money.  He  gave  his 
name,  received  the  deed  and  went  his  way. 

In  about  two  weeks  after  this,  the  few  who  lived  in 
in  the  mountain  pass  were  astonished  to  see  the  "  Nest" 
entered  into  by  a  strange  family,  consisting  of  a  man, 
woman,  and  a  boy,  who  at  this  time  might  be  about 
twelve  years  of  age.  Their  nationality  was  not  known. 
The  man  spoke  Welsh,  with  a  heavy  foreign  accent. 
The  woman  was  of  fail'  complexion,  with  a  countenance 
denoting  sadness.  The  boy  was  finely  developed  in 


"HAVEN'S  NEST,"  AND  A  TALE  OF  CEDER  IDRIS.         63 

body,  but  soon  showed  a  disposition  badly  calculated 
to  win  friends  whose  friendship  would  be  of  value. 
Over  his  comrades  he  assumed  an  air  of  superiority 
which  secured  their  utter  contempt.  The  father  gave 
his  name  as  Simon  Spike,  and  was  short  and  uncivil  in 
his  answers  to  all  that  ventured  to  make  inquiries  touch 
ing  his  past  history  or  his  future  movements.  Thus  he 
remained  a  mysterious  personage  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
"  Pass."  He  would  often  leave  home  and  be  absent  for 
two  or  three  weeks,  but  no  one  would  ever  see  him  de- 
part, or  witness  his  return. 

Young  Spike  attended  school  not  far  from  where  he 
lived,  where  he  soon  became  noted  for  several  traits 
that  were  not  to  his  credit.  Among  these  may  be  men- 
tioned lying,  profanity,  and  backwardness  in  his  stud- 
ies. His  development  in  the  first  two  mentioned  traits 
was  much  owing  to  his  home  tuition,  while  the  last  was 
more  the  result  of  slothfulness  than  the  lack  of  men- 
tal ability. 

The  neighbors  well  knew  that  in  the  absence  of  all 
moral  perfection  at  the  "Nest,"  there  was  an  abund- 
ance of  gold  and  silver.  Young  Spike  made  a  lavish 
display  of  these  much  coveted  articles  among  his  aston- 
ished schoolmates.  His  lying  propensity  often  bixmght 
him  into  trouble,  and  once  he  was  thoroughly  thrashed 
by  a  spirited  boy  much  younger  than  himself,  who  had 
suffered  through  his  falsehood ;  and  more  than  once  he 


64  LLANGOBAITH. 

was  publicly  [reprimanded  by  the  teacher.  Simon  Spike 
for  some  reason  was  anxious  that  his  boy  should  acquire 
a  fair  degree  of  education,  and  after  some  three  years 
spent  at  his  home  school,  he  was  sent  to  the  higher  in- 
stitution at  Llangobaith,  where  he  found  a  boon  com- 
panion in  Lucas  Pugh. 

Since  they  had  left  school  they  were  much  together. 
They  were  frequently  found  in  merry  mood  at  tippling 
houses  in  Barigor;  but  their  favorite  resort  was  the 
Ked  Lion  at  Llangobaith.  Occasionally  they  would 
join  with  the  drinking  crowd,  but  generally  they  se- 
lected a  private  chamber,  where  by  themselves  they  in- 
dulged in  vile  speech  and  malicious  plottings. 

When  Lucas  reached  home  after  that  interview  with 
Dick  Roland,  and  the  revelation  made  by  the  Excise- 
man, he  went  to  his  room  and  gave  vent  to  his  angry 
passions  in  a  prolonged  torrent  of  oaths  and  curses. 
He  had  been  insulted  by  a  coachman,  and  laughed  at 
by  the  young  men  from  Bangor.  But  far  more  painful 
to  him  than  all  beside,  was  the  departure  of  Gwennie 
Lloyd,  sitting  smilingly  by  the  side  of  Llewelyn  Ed- 
wards, the  one  he  hated  above  all  others.  "No  !''  said 
he,  "  Gwennie  will  never  be  such  a  fool  as  to  reject  a 
fortune  and  accept  tbe  hand  of  a  fellow  whose  father 
cannot  give  him  five  hundred  pounds.  And  yet  this 
visit  to  Thrush  Grove  I  don't  like.  Never  mind! 
Thomas  Lloyd  will  see  to  his  daughter's  interest,  and 


"RAVEN'S  NEST,"  AND  A  TALE  OF  CEDER  IDRIS.         65 

of  course  I  am  perfectly  safe.  And  yei  I  would  give  a 
pile  of  gold  if  the  devil  or  something  else  would  take 
that  fellow  out  of  the  way."  And  thus  Lucas  Pugh, 
from  the  abundance  of  his  depraved  heart,  went  on, 
while  our  young  friends,  in  the  innocence  and  joy  of 
their  hearts,  were  enjoying  themselves  to  the  full  amid 
the  delightful  scenery  of  Llwyn  y  Fronfraith. 


The  morning  following  the  musical  contest.  Llewelyn 
and  Taliesin  under  the  direction  of  Dick  Roland,  were 
making  ready  to  go  a  fishing  to  ••  Nant  y  Brithyll ' 
(Trout  Brook),  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Thrush 
Grove. 

"  Now  Dick,"  said  Mrs.  Parry,  as  they  were  starting, 
"  don't  you  take  these  gentlemen  through  John  Moses' 
meadows,  or  in  all  probability  he  will  abuse  them." 

"  His  meadows  are  the  best  fishing  grounds  in  the 
'  Nant,' "  said  Dick.  "  I  hope  we  shall  not  be  under 
the  necessity  of  troubling  the  mean  old  wretch.  At 
any  rate,  the  gentlemen  will  not  go  on  his  laud  without 
full  permission." 

This  John  Moses  was  a  very  selfish  and  penurious 
man.  He  hardly  ever  fished  himself,  and  would  not 
permit  others  to  fish  on  his  ground.  The  boys  of  the 
neighborhood,  not  wishing  to  encounter  two  ferocious 
dogs,  were  never  seen  in  his  meadows. 

"  Now,  my  darlings,"  said  M  rs.  Parry,  after  the  de- 


66  LLANOOBAITH. 

parture  of  the  young  men,  "  go  and  coine  at  your 
pleasure  without  the  least  restraint.  While  you  remain 
here  my  happiness,  is  inseparably  joined  with  yours." 

"Mrs.  Parry,  we  have  been  happy  beyond  measure  !" 
said  Ellen  Edwards. 

"  The  pleasure  of  yesterday  I  shall. never  forget,"  said 
Gwennie.  "  I  would  not  have  missed  it  for  anything  ; 
and  the  good  harper  said  he  would  give  us  more." 

"  Yes,  and  aside  from  his  music,  he  will  give  you 
capital  stories.  As  my  guests,  you  may  make  all  the 
demands  on  Lewis  Morris  that  you  see  fit,"  said  Mrs. 
Parry.  "  Arthur,  go  and  ask  the  minstrel,  for  me,  to 
come  to  this  room  with  his  harp." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  harper  was  present,  and  seemed 
to  be  well  pleased  with  the  invitation. 

"  Lewis  Moms,"  said  the  lady  of  the  house,  "  my 
young  company  are  perfectly  charmed  with  your  harp 
melody,  and  I  know  that  you  are  always  glad  to  enter- 
tain my  friends." 

"  I  have  no  greater  delight,"  was  the  answer.  He 
sat  down  and  played  the  "March  of  the  Men  of  Har- 
lech,"  "The  King's  Delight,"  "The  Dawn  of  Day,"  and 
last  of  all  he  sung  and  played  a  minor  which  he  called 
"The  Maid  of  Talglyn." 

"There  is  an  interesting  tradition  connected  with 
that  song,"  said  the  harper,  "  which  owing  to  its  length 
might  weary  your  patience." 


"RAVEN'S  NEST,"  AND  A  TALE  OF  CEDER  IDRIS.         67 

"  O  no !  good  minstrel !"  said  Gwemiie,  "  by  all  means 
give  us  the  story  of  the  Fair  Maid  of  Talglyn." 

"  Cader  Idris  (Idris'  chair)  as  you  well  know,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Snowdon,  is  the  highest  of  our  Welsh 
mountains.  On  its  summit  is  a  famons  rock  bearing  a 
strong  resemblance  to  a  huge  arm-chair.  Idris  the 
giant  was  one  of  Britain's  three  great  astronomers,  and 
in  this  rock  chair  he  would  sit  at  night  to  read  and  study 
the  stars  and  planets. 

At  the  foot  of  the  mountain  was  a  palace  named  "  Tal- 
glyn," whose  proprietor  was  Gruffydd.  He  had  two 
sons,  noble  and  manly,  and  three  daughters,  accom- 
plished and  fair.  In  these  features  Gwenlliw,  the 
youngest,  excelled.  She  was  the  idol  of  the  household. 
Noble  sons  of  wealthy  parents  had  sought  her  hand, 
but  no  one  as  yet  had  disturbed  the  spontaneous  merri- 
ment of  her  young  heart.  But  with  all  her  perfections 
she  had  an  unbending  will.  To  turn  her  aside  from 
her  purpose  was  next  to  impossible. 

Gruffydd  had  a  distant  relative  living  in  London- 
This  relative's  only  son  Griffin  displayed  unusual  talent, 
and  while  yet  quite  young,  was  settled  with  an  experi- 
enced partner  as  a  lawyer.  His  parents  as  well  as  his 
partner,  became  concerned  about  his  health,  and  in 
harmony  with  their  wishes  he  promised  that  he  would 
pay  a  visit  to  his  parents'  friends  at  the  foot  of  Cader 
Idris. 


t>8  LLANGOBAITH. 

At  Talglyn  they  received  a  letter  to  that  effect,  say- 
ing that  Griffin  would  be  with  them  in  ten  days. 

"  Thrice  welcome  to  Griffin,  for  Evan  Ap  Gwilynrs 
sake,"  said  the  father. 

"  The  young  man  deserves  a  hearty  welcome  on  his 
own  account,"  said  Gwenlliw. 

"Thou  hast  wisely  spoken,  my  child,"  said  the  father- 

"Let  one  feature  of  the  welcome  be  an  original  song 
from  Gwenlliw,  accompanied  by  her  harp,"  said  Bron- 
wen. 

"I  can  sing  and  play,"  said  Gwenlliw,  "but  I  am 
sadly  deficient  in  poetry,  although  I  covet  it  above  all 
other  gifts." 

"  Nay,  but  my  sister  writes  verses  with  ease,"  said 
Blodwen. 

The  ten  days  were  soon  over,  and  young  Griffin  was 
a  most  welcome  guest  at  Talglyn  palace.  Joy  and 
gladness  danced  on  every  countenance,  and  the  young 
London  lawyer  had  never  experienced  so  happy  a  day. 

"Ah !"  said  he,  "  and  here  is  the  famous  Welsh  harp, 
the  praise  of  .which  is  so  often  on  my  father's  lips !  I 
hope  to  hear  its  rich  melody.  Which  of  you  fair  ladies 
will  greatly  oblige  your  city  friend  ?" 

"  We  all  play  some,"  said  Blodwen,  but  at  this  time 
Gwenlliw  will  entertain  us.  Come,  sister  dear,  go  to 
thy  harp." 

With  much  ease  and  grace,  the  young  sister  took  the 


"RAVEN'S  NEST,"  AND  A  TALE  OF  CEDER  IDRIS.         69 

instrument,  and  in  a  voice  of  exquisite  richness  she 
sung — 

Cheerful  are  our  hearts  to-day, 
Strike  the  harp  and  join  the  lay: 
Welcome,  stranger,  to  old  Wales  ! 
Welcome  to  her  hills  and  vales  ! 
Gaze  upon  her  mountains  proud, 
As  their  summit  reach  the  clouds  ; 
Climb  the  sides  of  Idris'  Chair, 
View  the  landscape  far  and  fair. 

Welcome  !  welcome  !  welcome  ! 

Welcome  to  our  humble  walls, 
From  the  city's  crowded  hulls, 
Cast  away  all  anxious  cure, 
Chase  the  fox  and  hunt  the  hare  ; 
Speckled  trout  call  from  the  stream, 
Scale  the  heights  where  eagles  scream :     • 
Listen  to  the  birds  so  gay, 
Warbling  at  the  close  of  day. 

Welcome  !  welcome  !  welcome  ! 

"Many  thanks  to  Gweulliw  for  her  wonderful  per- 
formance," said  Griffin,  with  much  feeling ;  "  and  more 
than  all,  for  the  hearty  welcome  which  in  the  name  of 
the  family  she  tenders  an  unworthy  stranger." 

In  his  bed  chamber  the  young  lawyer  on  that  night,  in 
looking  over  the  state  of  his  affection,  found  himself 
deeply  in  love  with  Gruffydd's  youngest  daughter.  In 
her  own  apartment  sat  Gwenlliw  alone  in  a  meditative 


70  LLAXGOBAITH. 

mood.  Her  cheeks  were  somewhat  flushed,  and  her 
heart  throbbed  with  strange  pulsations,  Avhich  took  her 
not  long  to  define. 

After  a  suitable  interval,  our  young  friend  from  Lon- 
don made  known  to  Gweulliw  his  feelings,  and  was 
happy  to  find  that  his  love  was  reciprocated.  The  con- 
sent of  their  parents  on  both  sides  was  readily  given, 
but  owing  to  Gwenlliw's  tender  years,  it  was  thought 
best  to  defer  the  ceremony  for  a  time.  So  Griffin  re- 
turned to  London  and  followed  his  profession  for  a 
year.  When  they  met  again,  their  love  seemed  to  be 
more  intense  than  ever.  She  was  swift  of  foot,  and  she 
would  climb  the  rugged  steeps,  and  dance  on  the  edge 
of  projecting  rocks  where  the  mountain  goats  would 
not  dare  stand,  while  her  lover  would  look  at  her  with 
mingled  feelings  of  admiration  and  fear. 

One  night  after  returning  from  a  pleasant  walk,  they 
joined  a  merry  company  at  the  palace,  engaged  in  re- 
peating stories  and  old  Welsh  traditions.  Last  of  all 
came  Gwenlliw's  turn,  and  she  went  on  with  unusual 
animation. 

"Whoever  will  venture  to  spend  a  whole  night  in 
Idris?  Chair  will  in  the  morning  be  a  poet,  a  maniac  or 
dead.  Taliesm  and  Myrddin  had  courage  enough  to 
undergo  the  test,  and  they  became  famous  poets.  So 
did  a  lady  of  noble  birth  in  the  thirteenth  century,  but 
she  was  less  fortunate.  Her  friends  put  forth  every 


"RAVEN'S  NEST,"  AND  A  TALE  OF  CEDER  IDRIS.         71 

effort  to  persuade  Let-  to  forego  the  expei  iment,  but  she 
was  fully  determined  to  reach  the  chair.  One  night 
amid  the  wailing  of  the  storm,  without  the  knowledge 
of  her  friends,  she  ascended  the  rugged  heights.  When 
on  the  next  morning  they  went  in  search  of  her,  they 
found  her  pale  and  lifeless  in  Idris'  Chair.  There  is 
for  you  a  tradition  of  woman's  courage !  Was  it  not 
glorious? 

"  It  is  consoling  to  know  that  it  is  simply  a  tradition, 
and  not  a  fact,"  said  Griffin.  "  There  is  no  danger  that 
any  one  will  ever  put  the  matter  to  a  test.'' 

"  As  yet  you  do  not  know  the  strength  of  a  woman's 
resolution,"  said  Gweulliw,  with  some  feeling.  '•  You 
may  think  differently  some  day." 

The  company  retired  to  their  respective  bed  cham- 
bers. The  young  lover's  m.ud  was  not  tranquil,  for 
Gwenlliw's  countenance  in  the  room  below  had  indicated 
some  inward  agitation.  The  night  had  become  tem- 
pestuous. He  laid  down  and  soon  feel  asleep.  In  his 
dream  he  saw  himself  wandering  around  the  famous 
Chair  of  Idris.  From  this  he  awoke  with  a  frightened, 
beating  heart.  He  slept  again,  and  was  troubled  with 
the  same  vision,  only  in  a  worse  form.  Now  he  saw  that 
in  the  chair  sat  a  lady,  and  by  the  lightning's  glare, 
he  saw  that  the  apparition  was  none  other  than  Gwen- 
lliw,  his  own  beloved,  in  whom  rested  all  his  hopes ! 
He  awoke  and  slept  no  more. 


72  LLANGOBAITH. 

It  was  soon  broad  daylight.  He  went  down  to  the 
room  below,  where  he  was  joyfully  saluted  by  all  pres- 
ent. 

"  Betty,"  said  Gruffydd  to  the  servant,  "  go  and  call 
'  Gwen;'  it  is  strange  that  she  sleeps  so  long." 

The  servant  returned  and  said,  "  Master,  Miss  Gwen- 
lliw  makes  no  answer,  and  her  door  is  locked." 

This  was  indeed  strange.  The  father  ran  quickly  to 
the  door  of  the  room  and  cried  :  "  Gwen,  my  darling, 
come  down  !"  But  there  was  no  response.  The  door 
was  forced  open,  but  the  daughter  was  not  there.  It 
was  evident  that  she  had  gone  out  through  the  win- 
dow to  the  roof  of  a  lower  building,  and  from  thence  to 
the  highway. 

"While  all  was  confusion,  Griffin  was  thinking  of  his 
dream  ;  and  with  a  pale  contenance,  and  in  words  ter- 
ribly solemn,  he  said : 

"  My  Gwenlliw  is  in  Idris'  Chair,  a  maniac  or  dead  ! 
In  a  dreadful  dream  last  night  I  saw  her  there." 

"  My  young  friend,"  said  the  father,  "  that  cannot 
be  possible.  Your  great  anxiety  has  disturbed  your 
reason." 

"  I  tell  you  Gwenlliw  is  in  Cader  Idris !"  cried  Grif- 
fin. "  Did  she  not  admire  the  courage  that  made  it  a 
test  ?  Follow  me  !"  and  he  started. 

Seeing  that  he  was  in  such  earnest,  they  followed 
him.  He  rushed  up  the  steeps  as  if  assisted  by 


"RAVEN'S  NEST,"  AND  A  TALE  OF  CEDER  IDRIS.         73 

miraculous  power.  Onward  they  went  through  wind- 
ing pathways,  until  at  last  they  reached  the  famous 
rock.  There  they  found  Gwenlliw  dead,  and  cold  as 
the  chair  in  which  she  sat.  Her  fine  dress  and  stziped 
mantle  were  boiled  by  the  rain,  the  earth  and  the  tem- 
pest. Her  beautiful  hair,  blown  by  the  wind,  covered 
her  pale  face,  while  her  small  delicate  hands  were  firmly 
clasped.  The  young  man  rushed  forward  and  clasped 
her  to  his  bosom  with  terrible  lamentation  He  loudly 
called  her  by  name,  but  there  was  no  answer.  Her 
tongue  was  chilled  in  death,  and  the  once  merry  heart 
had  forever  ceased  to  throb. 

She  was  interred  near  her  father's  palace,  by  the  side 
of  her  mother,  amid  the  convulsive  sobs  of  the  family, 
and  the  bitter  agony  of  the  almost  distracted  lover. 

The  young  man  with  a  sorrowful  spirit  left  for  Eng- 
land, while  on  his  heart  deeply  graven  was  "  Cader 
Idris,"  with  its  dead  Gwenlliw.  He  bade  to  Wales  an 
eternal  adieu. 

"That  is  the  tradition  of  'The  Maid  of  Talglyn,'" 
said  Lewis  Morris. 

"It  is  thrillingly  interesting,  and  veiy  sad,"  said 
Gwennie. 

"  A  little  too  sad  for  your  young  minds,"  was  the  re- 
ply. "I  will  give  you  a  little  relief."  He  took  his 
harp  and  played  that  charming  Welsh  melody,  "  The 
Bells  of  Aberdovey." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A    STRATAGEM,    AND    THE    "  GYMANFA." 

Taliesin  and  Llewelyn,  although  not  experts  as  an- 
glers, had  had  some  experience  in  that  line.  Their  re- 
spective luck  in  fishing  had  varied.  Past  success  had 
not  been  sufficiently  uniform  to  create  in  their  minds  at 
this  time  a  full  confidence  that  their  effort  would  prove 
a  happy  one.  For  some  reason,  or  reasons,  perhaps 
known  to  themselves,  the  trout  of  "Nant  y  Brithyll" 
on  that  day  were  in  such  a  mood  as  not  to  be  charmed 
by  the  alluring  deceptions  thrown  before  them  by  those 
gentlemen  from  Llangobaith  and  their  expert  guide. 
Occasionally  a  wandering  fellow,  who  had  left  the  so- 
ciety of  those  older  in  years,  fell  a  prey  to  the  gay  de- 
ceivers on  the  bank  of  the  stream,  but  the  fish  as  a  body, 
treated  them  and  their  ornamental  cheats  with  supreme 
indifference,  and  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  found  our 
fishermen's  baskets  almost  empty.  The  situation  seemed 
to  trouble  Dick  Roland  much  more  than  it  did  the  oth- 
er two.  He  was  a  skillful  angler,  and  had  been  some- 
what more  successful  than  the  two  visitors  ;  but  he 
was  very  reluctant  to  return  with  such  a  meagre  dis- 
play of  trout.  Now  they  had  reached  the  border  of 
John  Moses'  green,  pastures,  and  Dick  well  knew  that 


A    STRATAGEM,    AND    THE    "GYMANFA."  75 

if  they  could  fish  through  those  grounds  they  would  be 
successful. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,"  said  he  in  the  most  respectful 
manner,  "so  far  we  have  had  poor  luck.  The  clay  has 
been  too  clear.  Now  it  is  getting  cloudy,  and  we  shall 
have  trout.  I  shall  go  to  John  Moses'  meadow.  I  am 
very  sure  that  he  will  gladly  consent  to  have  us  fish 
there.  You  will  please  remain  on  this  side  of  the  hedge 
until  I  shall  give  you  a  signal  to  come  on.  I  ask  of 
you  one  favor.  While  old  Moses  is  near,  please  drop 
your  Welsh  and  talk  English.  When  you  see  nie  tak- 
ing this  red  handkerchief  and  wipe  my  face,  like  this, 
you  may  know  that  all  is  well,  and  come  into  the  mead- 
ow. Gentlemen,  will  you  consent  to  this  ?" 

"Most  gladly,"  said  Taliesin. 

"  And  we  shall  deal  out  our  best  English,''  said  Llew- 
elyn. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Dick,  and  with  a  broad  smile  on 
his  countenance,  he  jumped  over  the  hedge  into  Moses' 
meadow,  with  his  fishing  rod  in  his  hand,  but  did  not 
fish. 

He  was  soon  seen  by  the  tenant,  who  walked  towards 
him  with  hasty  footsteps  and  in  a  threatening  attitude. 

"  Now,  see  here,  Dick  Roland,"  said  he,  "  if  you  think 
that  because  you  are  Mrs.  Parry's  coachman  you  can  come 
and  take  away  my  trout,  you  are  very  much  mistaken, 
and  the  best  thing  you  can  do  is  to  go  back  as  soon  as 


76  LLANOOBAITH. 

you  can.  If  you  don't  J  will  set  the  dogs  on  you- 
Clear  out!" 

"  John  Moses,"  said  Dick,  in  a  very  cool  manner, 
"  you  are  a  mean,  contemptible  wretch,  and  it  would 
give  me  great  pleasure  to  give  you  a  tremendous  flog- 
ging. I  did  not  come  here  after  your  trout,  but  to  tell 
you  something  that  would  be  to  your  advantage,  and 
keep  you  from  getting  into  an  awful  scrape.  But  since 
you  order  me  away,  all  right ;  I  shall  go,"  and  he 
started. 

"  Stop,  Dick !  I  was  a  little  too  fast,"  cried  Moses, 
who  was  always  glad  to  hear  of  anything  to  his  advan- 
tage. "What  is  it?" 

"  Well,"  said  Dick,  "  of  course  you  don't  know  that 
the  young  Ashton  Smith,  of  Vaeuol,  and  another  young 
gentleman,  are  guests  at  Thrush  Grove.  You  don't 
know  that  in  a  few  minutes  they  will  be  in  this  meadow 
fishing  for  trout." 

"  Young  Ashton  Smith  I"  cried  Moses  in  amazement. 
"  Good  heavens,  his  feather  owns  this  land." 

"I  know  that,  John  Moses,"  said  Dick.  "Now  get 
your  old  mouth  into  perfect  order  and  shape  to  give 
.  them  a  regular  cursing.  Order  them  from  your  grounds  ; 
and  if  they  don't  start  at  once,  set  your  dogs  on  them, 
and  next  week  when  you  go  to  Vaenol  to  pay  your  rent, 
they  will  kindly  remember  and  properly  reward  you. 


A    STRATAGEM,    AND    THE    "GYMANFA."  77 

Little  as  I  respect  you,  John  Moses,  I  thought  I  would 
give  you  this  warning." 

"Dick,  you  have  shown  me  a  great  favor  !"  said  John 
Moses.  "I  consider  it  a  great  honor  for  those  gentle- 
men to  fish  in  my  meadow." 

"  It  is  rather  a  warm  afternoon,"  said  Dick,  as  he 
flourished  a  very  large  red  pocket  handkerchief  and 
wiped  his  brow. 

The  young  men  were  already  in  the  meadow,  and  at 
once  they  found  themselves  in  luck.  Splendid  trout, 
in  quick  succession,  were  deposited  in  their  baskets. 
and  the  English  flowed  over  their  lips  in  commendable 
abundance. 

"Is  Ashton  Smith  the  one  with  the  straw  hat  ?"  asked 
Moses. 

"  No,"  said  Dick  ;  "his  name  is  Mr.  Taliesin." 

The  parties  soon  came  together.  "  Gentlemen,"  said 
Dick,  "this  is  Mr.  Moses,  who  is  very  happy  to  wel- 
come you  to  his  most  excellent  fishing  ground." 

"Is  indeed  truth!"  said  Moses,  faintly  compre- 
hending what  was  said,  and  using  nearly  all  the  Eng- 
lish in  his  possession. 

"We  shall  always  remember  Mr.  Moses'  kindness," 
said  Llewelyn. 

"  What  did  he  say,  Dick  Roland  ?"  asked  John. 

"  Dywedodd  y  cofient  am  byth  eich  caredigrwydd" 
said  Dick. 


78  LLANGOBA1TH. 

"  Dick,  give  me  your  rod,"  said  Moses ;  "  I  know 
where  there  are  some  fine  fellows,  and  we  shall  soon  fill 
the  baskets." 

About  half  an  hour  sufficed  to  give  them  abundance ; 
and  the  young  men,  after  giving  the  tenant  a  warm 
grasp  of  the  hand,  in  English,  left  the  meadow.  Under 
the  direction  of  their  guide,  they  soon  reached  Thrush 
Grove,  where  they  were  congratulated  upon  their  grand 
success. 

The  next  week,  at  the  yearly  rent-paying  at  Vaenol, 
the  senior  Ashton  Smith  was  present  and  in  a  very 
happy  mood.  When  John  Moses  paid  his  rent,  the  es- 
tate owner  pleasantly  remarked  that  he  had  been  very 
regular  in  his  payments,  kept  his  farm  in  good  order, 
and  that  it  was  reported  that  he  raised  the  best  trout 
in  Nant  y  Brithyll,  and  ordered  the  steward  to  return 
to  him  five  pounds. 

This  was  done  by  the  steward,  who,  in  Welsh,  gave 
what  the  master  had  said,  laying  particular  stress  on 
the  trout  part  of  the  speech. 

John  Moses  reached  home  at  an  early  hour,  and  his 
wife  was  astonished  at  the  good  quality  of  his  temper. 
His  usual  growls  and  curses  had  given  way  to  smiles 
and  pleasant  words. 

"  Nelly !"  he  cried,  "  "D  <£i  byth  o*r  fan  yma,  (I'll 
never  move  from  this  spot),  if  those  trout  young  Ash- 
ton  Smith  got  in  my  meadow  the  other  day,  did'nt 


A    STRATAGEM,    AND    THE    "GYMANFA."  79 

bring  me  five  pounds !  Ha,  ha  !  See  here,  woman  !" 
and  he  showed  her  the  glittering  gold.  "  But  we  must 
say  nothing  about  it,  or  the  neighbors  will  be  jealous. 
After  this,  Dick  Koland  is  welcome  to  all  the  fish  he 
wants." 


The  guests,  with  Mrs.  Parry  and  Arthur,  were  again 
in  the  carriage  which  was  to  convey  them  to  the  yearly 
preaching  meeting,  or  the  "Gymanfa."at  I'en  y  Groes. 

Ever  since  the  great  revivals  under  George  AVhite- 
field,  Daniel  Rowlands,  Howell  Hai*ris  and  others,  there 
has  been  more  preaching  in  Wales,  in  proportion  to  its 
population,  than  in  any  other  country  on  the  globe.  In 
no  part  of  our  world  has  the  gospel  been  held  in  such 
reverence  by  the  masses.  No  meetings  are  half  so  pop- 
ular as  their  preaching  anniversaries.  They  regard  the 
'•  Gymanfa  "  with  a  reverence  akin  to  that  with  which 
the  ancient  Jews  regarded  the  feast  of  the  Passover. 

At  these  meetings,  eight  sermons  are  preached  :  two 
on  the  evening  of  the  first  day,  and  two  at  each  of  the 
three  public  services  on  the  day  following. 

Calvinistic  Methodism  was  planted  at  Pen  y  Groes 
at  an  early  day,  and  now  they  had  a  strong  church  and 
a  commodious  chapel. 

The  morning  of  the  second  day  was  fair  and  cloud- 
less, and  the  heat  quite  moderate.  At  the  first  service  the 
house  was  well  filled,  and  in  the  afternoon  and  evening 


80  LLANGOBAITH. 

it  was  thronged.  The  singing  was  congregational,  in 
which  all  heartily  united.  It  swelled  "  like  the  voice 
of  many  waters."  The  preaching  was  of  a  high  order, 
in  which  the  old  doctrines  of  grace  were  handled  in  a 
masterly  manner  by  pulpit  champions  of  the  old  style. 
Those  were  the  days  of  hearty  responses.  The  "Amens" 
were  abundant,  "  Diolch  i'r  Arglwydd  !"  (Thank  the 
Lord,)  broke  forth  from  grateful  lips  ;  and  "  Gogon- 
iant !"  (Glory)  sweetly  vibrated  in  a  heavenly  atmos- 
phere. 

At  this  meeting,  some  of  the  ministers  excelled  in 
that  one  peculiarity  connected  with  Welsh  preaching 
— the  hwyl,  or  the  variety  of  their  intonations.  The 
effect  produced  by  this  is  often  astonishing.  It  differs 
entirely  from  any  tones  ever  heard  in  English  pulpits, 
or  any  chromatic  chanting  of  the  mass  within  Papal  al- 
tars. It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  impart  to  the  English 
mind  a  clear  idea  of  the  genuine  "  Welsh  hwyl,"  or 
that  musical  style  in  which  the  minister  pours  forth 
his  pathetic  passages  when  under  "  full  canvass.''  A 
clergyman  who  has  no  ear  for  music,  can  never  charm 
his  hearers  vith  this  melodic  peculiarity.  The  best 
description  we  can  give  is  this :  It  is  the  application  of 
sentences,  in  a  chanting  style,  to  portions  of  the  minor 
scale.  The  minister  is  never  at  a  loss  how  to  apply  the 
words  to  the  melody,  or  the  melody  to  the  words.  They 
run  together  as  by  mutual  attraction.  The  sentence 


A    STRATAGEM,    AND    THE    "GYMAXFA."  81 

may  start  on  E  minor.  The  minister  has  his  own  mel- 
odic style.  It  ranges  here  and  there  from  the  first  to 
the  fifth,  often  reaching  the  octave  :  then  descending 
and  ending  in  sweet  cadence  on  the  key  note.  This 
was  most  impressively  illustrated  at  Pen  y  Groes  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  second  day.  The  minister's  won- 
derful, pathetic  eloquence  carried  his  audience  clear 
above  terrestial  objects,  and  for  a  time  they  seemed  to 
be  basking  in  the  sunlight  of  the  celestial  world. 

In  the  evening  the  interest  was  still  deeper.  The 
last  sermon  was  by  a  young  minister,  who  could  be 
a  son  of  thunder  or  a  son  of  consolation,  as  occasion 
required.  He  took  for  his  text  the  words  of  Elijah  on 
Mount  Carmel — "Choose  ye  this  day  whom  ye  will 
serve."  In  the  most  graphic  manner  he  portrayed  the 
service  of  the  two  masters.  The  vast  audience  was 
completely  wrapt  in  attention.  The  closing  part  of 
that  sermon  will  never  be  forgotten.  It  will  show  the 
English  reader  the  peculiarity  of  some  of  those  Welsh 
pulpit  giants  of  the  oldnii  times. 

"  Well,  my  fellow  travelers  to  the  eternal  world,"  said 
he,  "  this  is  the  best  description  I  can  give  you  of  the 
two  masters.  Let  w.<  nmr  divide  the  house,  and  let 
each  choose  his  favorite.  Everything  must  be  conduct- 
ed honestly,  and  I  will  see  that  Satan  has  fail-  play. 
Let  him  have  the  first  chance,  and  let  every  one  that 
would  be  his  follower  acknowledge  him  fairly  and  open- 


82  LLANGOBAITH. 

ly  !  Now,  are  you  ready  f  '  Blessed  forever  be  thy 
name,  G  Prince  of  Hell!'  Let  each  of  his  servants  in 
this  assembly  respond  to  that  a  hearty  Amen!  [A 
long  silence.]  .  Ah !  what  is  the  matter  ?  Now  or  nev- 
er own  your  master  !  I  will  give  you  one  more  chance. 
Now  be  ready  with  your  response !  Be  men !  Ac- 
knowledge your  master  here  as  well  as  in  the  fair  and 
frolic,  or  abandon  him  forever !  Now  for  it ;  '  Blessed 
be  thy  name,  O  Prince  of  Darkness  !  On  thy  head  be 
the  crown,  and  let  Jehovah  be  dethroned!'  Hurry, 
now,  with  your  Amen !  [Great  solemnity  and  long 
silence.]  "  Well,  now,"  said  the  preacher,  "we  s  all 
try  the  other  side.  Followers  of  the  Son  of  God,  I 
know  that  you  are  ready  to  acknowledge  your  Master. 
Now  polish  your  old  Amens  !  Let  us  begin — '  Bless- 
ed be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who,  although  he  was  rich — ' '  [Here  the  preacher  was 
interrupted  with  an  united  Amen  that  shook  the  chapel.] 
"  There  is  for  you,  servants  of  Satan !  The  old  family 
here  at  Pen  y  Groes  are  not  ashamed  to  show  their 
side  !  But  that  is  nothing  to  what  you  will  hear  pres- 
ently. That  'Amen'  was  only  just  to  clean  the  throat 
for  another  one  that  will  be  strong  enough  to  split  your 
master's  head.  Now  ready !  '  Blessed  be  thy  name 
forever,  O  Saviour  of  men !' "  [Amen  from  hundreds, 
mingled  with  shouts  of  joy  and  cries  for  mercy.]  The 
scene  was  beyond  description.  To  bring  that  meeting  to 


A    STRATAGEM,    AND    THE    "  GYMANFA."  83 

a  close  was  not  an  easy  achievement,  but  at  last  it  was 
accomplished  by  the  singing  of  an  ever  memorable 
stanza  to  an  immortal  melody — 

Pale, 

Y  gwna'i  fy  noddfa  'dan  y  ue' 
Ond  yn  e'i  glwyfan  anwyl  E'  Y'  etc. 

The  moon  in  cloudless  majesty  had  risen  above  the 
Carnarvonshire  mountains,  and  the  friends  from  Llwyn 
y  Fronfraith  enjoyed  a  delightful  homeward  ride. 


CHAPTER  VH. 

FUNEBAL    CUSTOMS.  , 

On  Monday  of  that  week,  a  well-to-do  farmer,  who 
had  lived  about  three  miles  from  Thrush  Grove,  died, 
and  was  to  be  burned  on  Friday.  That  long  interval 
between  the  death  and  burial  may  seem  strange  to  the 
American  reader,  as  our  short  intervals  may  seem  to  a 
newly  arrived  foreigner.  Griffith  Edmund  was  highly 
respected,  had  been  a  regular  attendant  at  the  parish 
church,  and  blameless  in  his  moral  character.  Mrs. 
Parry  made  it  a  practice  to  attend  nearly  all  the  fune- 
rals in  the  surroundings,  and  inasmuch  as  she  was  well 
acquainted  with  the  family,  she  purposed  to  attend 
this  also;  and  so,  on  Friday  morning,  the  carriage  was 
again  at  the  door,  and  with  her  guests  she  started  for 
"Craig  yr  Eryr"  (Eagle  Rock). 

"  For  one,  I  hope  that,  as  a  people,  we  shall  forever 
abandon  some  of  our  funeral  customs,"  said  Mrs.  Parry, 
with  much  expression.  "  I  shall  do  what  I  can  to  bring 
them  into  disuse.  While  they  are  kept  up  we  can 
hardly  afford  to  ridicule  Irish  wakes." 

"  "What  particular  customs  would  you  abolish,  Aunt 
Mary?"  asked  Taliesin. 

"  I  would  begin  with  the  vulgar  custom  of  feasting 


FDNEBAL   CUSTOMS.  85 

and  smoking  at  the  close  of  the  "wylnos,"  or  the 
prayer  meeting  held  at  the  house  on  the  night  before 
the  funeral,"  said  Mrs.  Parry.  "  To  ine  it  is  disgusting, 
on  these  occasions,  to  see  the  coffin  adorned  with  a 
huge  plate  of  tobacco,  and  a  dozen  pipes.  Again,  I 
would  abolish  the  unseemly  practice  of  passing  around 
spiced  hot  ale  at  the  house  before  leaving  for  the  church. 
Such  things,  in  my  opinion,  are  not  becoming  the  so- 
lemnity of  a  funeral/' 

"And  so  it  seems  to  me  now,  after  having  listened 
to  your  remarks,"  said  Llewelyn.  "  But  such  is  the 
tremendous  power  of  custom  and  habit,  that  absurd 
as  they  really  are,  I  have  never  before  given  the  sub- 
ject a  serious  thought.  I  most  heartily  join  with  you 
in  hoping  that  these  usages  may  soon  come  to  an 
end.'1 

"  My  mother  looks  upon  them  as  does  Mrs.  Parry," 
said  Gwennie,  "  and  has  positively  declared  that  such 
vulgar  performances  must  not  be  seen  at  her  funeral. 
Dear  mother,  I  hope  that  day  is  far  away !" 

"Surrounded,  as  we  are  to-day,  by  gospel  light, 
such  relics  of  the  dark  ages  ought  to  disappear,"  said 
Mrs.  Parry.  "  I  am  glad  to  know  that  already  in  these 
parts  people  begin  to  look  at  them  in  their  true  light. 
The  Welsh  pulpit,  by  its  plain  utterance,  has  well 
nigh  banished  the  'interludes'  of  'Twm  o'r  Nant.' 
For  this  we  are  thankful.  I  hope  our  ministers  will 


86  LLA.NGOBAITH. 

next  attack  these  demoralizing  funeral  customs  which 
make  us  a  laughing-stock  to  our  English  neighbors." 

"I  have  noticed  that  at  Llangobaith  a  large  funeral 
at  the  church  is  invariably  followed  by  a  drinking  crowd 
at  the  Bed  Lion,''  said  Llewelyn.  "They  generally 
become  boisterous,  and  often  end  in  a  fight." 

"  It  is  so,  more  or  less,  throughout  the  principality," 
was  Mrs.  Parry's  reply,  "  and  it  is  a  shame  !  Twm  o'r 
Nant's  plays,  with  all  their  rudeness,  had  many  redeem- 
ing features ;  but  these  funeral  dissipations  are  evil, 
and  only  evil." 

"Mrs.  Parry,"  said  Gwennie.  "many  of  our  minis- 
ters call  at  your  house.  Have  you  ever  called  their 
attention  to  this  thing  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  did  venture  to  speak  once  to  Mr.  John  Elias 
on  the  subject  in  very  plain  Welsh,"  said  Mrs.  Parry. 

"And  how  did  our  great  preacher  view  the  subject  ?' 
asked  Llewelyn. 

"At  first  he  looked  steadily  at  me  without  saying  a 
word,  until  I  began  to  fear  that  I  had  done  wrong," 
was  the  answer,  "  but  to  my  great  relief,  he  at  last 
said,  'Mrs.  Parry,  I  thank  you  for  calling  my  atten- 
tion to  a  glaring  evil.  I  will  remember  your  words, 
and  by  God's  grace,  though  young  among  my  brethren, 
I  will  lift  up  my  voice  against  these  ungodly  customs.' '' 

"Aunt  Mary,"  said  Taliesin,  "you  could  not  have  in- 
troduced the  subject  to  a  more  proper  person.  John 


FUNEBAL    CUSTOMS.  87 

Elias  is  bold  and  fearless,  aud  what  be  considers  as 
morally  wrong  will  be  denounced  in  his  ministry." 

Tbe  subject  was  now  changed,  by  a  remark  from 
Helen  Edwards,  who  said  : 

"  My  father  thinks  that  John  Elias  is  the  greatest 
preacher  in  Wales." 

"  He  is  so  considered  by  thousands,"  said  Mrs.  Parry. 
"  We  have  our  different  tastes  and  temperaments,  and 
we  are  differently  affected  under  the  same  preaching. 
We  measurably  judge  of  a  minister's  talents  by  the 
effect  it  produces  upon  our  own  mind.  When  I  listen 
to  John  Elias  I  am  led  to  ask.  '('an  it  be  possible  that 
Wales  can  show  anything  equal  to  that  .''  I  am  led  to 
ask  the  same  question  when  I  sit  under  the  ministry 
of  Williams,  of  Weni,  and  Christmas  Evans.'' 

"And  the  Wesleyans.  despised  as  they  are,  have  men 
of  very  brilliant  talents."  said  Llewelyn.  "  Some  weeks 
ago  I  was  asked  by  old  Shon  Dafydd.  a  very  zealous 
1  Wesla,'  to  go  with  him  to  a  private  house  called  'y 
Fachell,'  about  a  mile  from  our  house,  where  a 
young  man  by  the  name  of  David  Rogers  was  to  preach 
on  a  certain  night.  I  went,  not  expecting  to  hear  any- 
thing in  the  line  of  superior  talents.  I  was  greatly  as- 
tonished, as  well  as  pleased.  It  was  one  of  the  most 
eloquent  and  affecting  sermons  I  ever  listened  to.  I 
went  home  greatly  benefited  and  happily  relieved  from 
some  wrong  opinions  I  had  formed  in  regard  to  the 


LLANGOBAITH. 

views  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodists.  If  you  ever  have 
an  opportunity,  be  sure  and  hear  this  David  Kogers." 

"  I  will,  Llewelyn,"  was  her  answer,  "  and  I  ani  very 
glad  to  hear  you  speak  in  such  terms  of  praise  of 
a  minister  that  belongs  to  a  people  so  much 
spoken  against.  Some  of  their  views  may  be  errone- 
ous, and  it  may  be  possible  that  some  of  our  views  are 
not  perfectly  correct.  As  far  as  I  can  see,  these  peo- 
ple, in  common  with  the  Calvinistic  Methodists,  believe 
the  great  fundamental  doctrines  of  our  holy  Christian- 
ity. 

They  were  now  drawing  near  Eagle  Rock.  The  peo- 
ple were  seen  gathering  from  all  directions,  and  it  was 
evident  that  the  funeral  wras  to  be  large.  Mrs.  Parry 
and  her  company  were  ushered  to  favorable  seats  with 
a  show  of  much  respect.  Presently  the  fashionable 
drink  made  its  appearance,  and  was  served  in  regular 
order  from  a  large  communion  tankard  borrowed  for 
the  occasion  from  the  parish  church.  The  spiced  ale 
was  poured  into  a  smallish  cup,  and  aside  from  the 
four  from  Thrush  Grove,  there  were  but  few  that  did 
not  partake  of  the  beverage.  This  custom  was  con- 
fined to  those  families  who  were  in  easy  circumstances, 
and  there  were  but  few,  comparatively,  who  could 
afford  to  furnish  the  "  diod  boeth." 

"When  the  coffin  was  well  fastened  to  the  bier,  the 
"  clochydd "  (parish  clerk)  rehearsed  a  few  ritualistic 


FUNEBAL   CUSTOMS.  89 

sentences  before  "  codi'r  corff,"  (lifting  the  corpse),  the 
bier  was  lifted  on  the  shoulders  of  four  bearers,  who 
slowly  led  the  procession,  while  the  singers  chanted  a 
solemn  melody.  Along  the  road  the  bearers  were  re- 
lieved by  others,  until  the  journey  was  ended.  At  the 
porch  they  were  met  by  the  surpliced  rector,  who  led 
them  into  the  church,  reading  a  part  of  the  burial  ritu- 
al. At  the  close  of  the  service  he  went  into  the  altar 
and  stood  behind  a  table  facing  the  congregation.  This 
was  the  sign  that  he  was  ready  to  receive  the  "  offrwm." 
(offering).  First  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  marched 
forward  and  deposited  their  contribution  on  the  table. 
Others  followed  who  felt  disposed  to  contribute.  The 
clergyman  then  carefully  counted  the  money  and  pub- 
licly announced  that  on  this  occasion  the  offering  was 
four  pounds,  six  shillings  and  four  pence  half  penny. 
He  then  put  the  same  in  his  pocket,  went  before  the 
bearers,  and  all  marched  to  the  grave,  where  a  hymn 
was  sung  in  addition  to  the  usual  service.  While  the 
parish  clerk,  who  was  also  the  sexton,  was  filling  the 
grave,  his  little  boy,  who  was  well  known,  stood  by 
with  a  wooden  bowl  in  his  hand  ready  to  receive  "arian 
y  rhaw,"  (spade  money).  Into  this  depository  the 
friends  again  threw  their  offering,  which  was  small 
compared  with  that  at  the  church.  It  is  true  there 
were  a  number  of  shilling  and  sixpenny  pieces,  but  the 

bulk  of  the  offering  at  the  grave  was  in  pennies  and 
6 


90  LLANOOBAITH. 

half  pennies.  The  funeral  was  over,  the  people  scat- 
tered, the  majority  started  for  their  respective  homes, 
while  dozens  found  their  way  to  the  "  Cross  Keys," 
close  by  the  Llan,  to  indulge  in  drinking  ale. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

FAIR    MEIKIK   OF    THE    PAST. 

The  time  had  nearly  arrived  when  the  company  must 
return  to  Llangobaith.  The  only  drawback  to  Gweu- 
nie's  perfect  happiness  was  the  remembrance  of  her 
mother's  feeble  health.  On  this  point,  however,  her 
hopes  were  far  stronger  than  her  fears,  and  for  that 
reason  she  was  not  despondent. 

On  Friday  evening  our  young  friends  sought  the  min- 
strel's room,  where,  as  usual,  they  found  a  hearty  wel- 
come. 

"  Mi\  Morris,"  said  Llewelyn,  "  to-morrow  we  intend 
to  leave  for  home,  and  we  have  come  to  thank  you  for 
your  kind  favors." 

"Mr.  Edwards,"  the  minstrel  replied,  "I  shall  great- 
ly miss  the  merry  sunshine  of  your  presence.  If  these 
young  ladies  would  be  pleased  with  a  little  more  of 
my  harp  and  vocal  melody,  I  am  their  humble  servant." 

"  Nothing  can  please  us  more,"  said  Gwennie  with  a 
radiant  smile. 

He  played  a  number  of  Welsh  melodies  that  he  had 
not  played  before,  and  ended  with  a  minor  which  he 
had  composed  himself,  called  "FairMeinir  of  the  Pant." 

"  There  is  an  interesting   tradition   connected  with 


92  IXANGOBAITH. 

that  song,"   said  the  minstrel,  "and  if  you  are  not  in 
haste  I  will  relate  it." 

"  We  are  not  in  the  least  haste,  good  minstrel !"  said 
Helen.  "We  will  most  gladly  listen  to  the,  story." 

"About  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  there  lived 
near  together  two  families  midway  between  Clynog 
Fawr,  and  Nefyn,  by  the  name  of  Meredith.  Rees 
Meredith  lived  with  his  two  sisters,  the  father  being 
dead.  Evan  Meredith,  an  invalid  widower,  lived  with 
his  only  child,  Meimr.  These  children  were  cousins. 
Rees  was  fine  looking,  amiable,  intelligent  and  indus- 
trious. Meinir  was  fair  and  lovely.  Their  childhood 
attachment  had  grown  into  strong  affection,  and  in  the 
course  of  time,  the  day  was  appointed  for  their  matri- 
monial union. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  day  before  the  appointed 
ceremony,  hand  in  hand  they  lovingly  wandered  along 
until  they  came  to  a  familiar  retreat  where  they  had 
often  sat  together  for  many  happy  hours.  This  was  on 
a  smooth  stone  by  the  side  of  an  oak,  nothing  of  which 
now  remained  but  a  heavy  trunk,  which  reached  about 
ten  feet  from  the  ground.  Behind  this  and  touching 
it  was  a  high  stone  wall.  There  they  sat  and  thought 
of  the  morrow.  While  conversing,  MeimYs  eyes  fell 
upon  her  own  name  cut  in  the  bark  of  the  oak  by  Rees, 
under  which  were  also  the  words. 

JULY  5." 


FAIR   METNIB   OF    THE   PANT.  93 

"  My  dear  Rees,"  said  Meinir,  "  was  not  that  pre- 
sumptuous ?  Perhaps  that,  after  all,  we  shall  not  be 
married." 

"  My  dear  girl !"  he  cried  with  a  laugh,  '"  surely,  you 
will  be  mine  to-morrow." 

The  morrow  arrived  and  Meinir,  attired  in  her  bridal 
robes,  stood  by  the  side  of  her  invalid  father,  expecting 
the  young  men's  appearance  who  were  to  lead  her  to 
the  church.  Then  it  was  the  custom  for  the  bride,  in  a 
playful  way,  to  hide  and  escape  from  her  pursuers. 
This  Rees  understood,  and  she  was  to  meet  him  at  a 
certain  spot  behind  the  old  church. 

The  young  men  soon  made  their  appearance,  and 
reached  the  house,  but  the  bird  had  flown.  They 
made  a  diligent  search,  and  after  a  while  they  saw  her 
in  a  field  near  by.  They  raised  a  shout,  and  pursued 
her.  With  a  laugh,  off  she  went  and  disappeared  in 
the  thicket.  They  made  a  long  search,  but  all  in  vain. 

At  the  church  a  throng  was  waiting  for  the  bridal 
party,  while  the  pathway  from  the  porch  was  strewn 
with  flowers.  With  a  throbbing  heart,  at  the  place  ap- 
pointed, Rees  was  looking  for  the  appearance  of  his 
betrothed.  At  last  the  young  men  arrived,  but  with- 
out the  bride. 

"  In  the  name  of  heaven,"  he  cried,  "  where  is 
Meinir?" 

"  We  hoped  to  see  her  here,"   they  said  :  "  we  have 


94  LLANGOBAITH. 

looked  for  her  in  every  available  spot,  and  she  cannot 
be  found !" 

"  I  will  go  myself !"  said  Rees,  and  off  he  started  with 
the  utmost  speed.  Her  father  assured  him  that  the 
lost  one  was  not  there.  The  young  man  ran  to  and  fro, 
loudly  calling  the  name  of  his  darling,  but  there  came 
no  answer.  He  soon  met  his  friends,  with  sorrowful 
hearts,  returning  from  the  church.  He  fainted  and  fell 
to  the  ground,  and  in  this  condition  he  was  carried 
to  his  own  home.  During  all  that  night,  and  for  days 
and  weeks  following,  there  was  a  constant  search  for 
the  lost  maiden,  but  not  the  least  trace  of  her  could  be 
found.  Rees  grew  worse,  and  before  long  the  sister's 
most  painful  fears  were  realized — their  brother  was  in- 
sane !  He  became  a  wild  wanderer,  and  avoided  the 
society  of  all,  except  when  driven  by  hunger.  And  yet, 
at  times,  he  was  conscious  of  his  awful  fate.  His  favor- 
ite spot  was  on  the  stone  by  the  old  oak.  Here  he 
would  remain  by  day  and  by  night,  sometimes  sitting 
down,  then  running  around.  Now  praying,  again  curs- 
ing. Here  the  sisters,  with  the  tenderest  love,  fed  him 
and  did  what  they  could  for  his  comfort.  Thus  things 
went  on  for  years. 

At  intervals  he  would  become  a  little  more  rational, 
and  converse  with  a  degree  of  intelligence. 

"  Why  stay  here  more  than  in  any  other  place,  my 
dear  Rees  ?"  asked  the  sister. 


FAIR   MEINIB   OF   THE   PANT.  96 

"Here  I  can  better  dream  of  Meinlr!"  was  the  reply. 

Occasionally  he  would  accompany  his  sistenas  far  as 
the  house,  but  would  not  sit  down  or  eat.  During  a  storm 
he  would  never  remain  indoors,  but  always  hasten  to 
his  favorite  spot,  near  the  old  oak.  And  a  more  dan- 
gerous spot,  during  a  tempest,  could  not  be  found,  for  no 
less  than  three  times  had  the  tree  been  struck  by  light- 
ning. One  of  these  terrific  storms  was  approaching, 
and  his  sister  hastened  after  him.  She  found  him  sit- 
ting indifferently  on  the  familial-  stone,  while  the  heav- 
ens were  clothed  in  threatening  blackness.  When  the 
first  lightning  flashed,  he  loudly  laughed  ;  and  when 
implored  to  come  and  seek  a  shelter,  he  replied : 

"  My  dear  Gwyneth,  return  home,  and  leave  me  to 
enjoy  the  storm." 

"  Rees,  I  cannot  leave  you  in  this  dreadful  tempest !" 
said  the  sister. 

There  was  another  lightning  flash,  accompanied  by  a 
terrific  thunder. 

"O  thou  that  knowest  all  things,"  said  Rees,  with 
a  gleam  of  restored  reason  on  his  pale  countenance, 
"  listen  to  the  cries  of  a  poor  wretch  !  O  my  lost 
Meinir !  In  dust,  or  as  an  angel,  I  ask,  I  implore,  I 
pray  that  I  may  see  her  but  for  a  moment — one  glimpse ! 
then  will  I  lay  my  head  on  the  cold  earth  and  die !" 

Scarcely  had  he  concluded  the  sentence  when  another 
lightning,  with  a  touch  of  its  wing,  laid  him  pros- 


96  LLANOOBAITH. 

trate  at  the  foot  of  the  tree.  The  crash  was  terrible  ; 
and  when  the  sister  opened  her  eyes  she  beheld  a  sight 
from  which  she  turned  away  in  horror.  The  old  oak 
trunk  had  been  split  from  its  top  to  the  ground,  which 
showed  a  hollow  inside.  Through  the  opening  she  saw  a 
human  skeleton  standing  erect  in  the  interior.  Some 
remnants  of  Meinir's  wedding  dress  still  remained.  Tho 
unfortunate  bride,  in  playful  glee,  had  reached  the 
top  of  the  trunk  from  the  stone  wall.  The  top,  covered 
over  with  leaves  and  loose  materials,  gave  way,  and  she 
fell  into  the  depths  below." 

Gwyueth  endeavored  to  hide  the  dreadful  sight  from 
her  brother,  who,  by  this  time,  had  revived.  But  he 
arose  and  saw  it  all !  He  spoke  not  a  word.  With  his 
finger  he  pointed  to  the  skelton  and  cast  one  strange 
look  at  his  sister.  A  melancholy  smile  played  on  his 
lips.  The  mystery  was  at  last  revealed.  He  fell  to  the 
ground,  and  in  a  few  moments  his  troubled  spirit  had 
found  rest.  The  two  were  buried  side  by  side  in  the 
cemeterj  of  the  "Pant,"  while  hundreds  freely  wept 
over  the  sad  fate  of  Rees  Meredith  and  his  fail'  Meinir." 

"  With  a  deeper  sense  of  our  obligation  than  ever, 
we  again  thank  you  and  bid  you  good  bye,"  said  Llew- 
elyn. 

Each  took  the  harper's  hand,  and  they  parted. 


The  remembrance  of  having  been  duped  by  Dick  Ro- 


FAIR    MEIXIR    OF    THE    PAST.  97 

land  was  galling  to  the  proud,  conceited  spirit  of  Lucas 
Pugh.  The  more  he  thought  of  it,  the  more  angry  he 
became,  and  he  swore  that  such  an  insult  would  not  go 
unpunished.  He  would  watch  his  opportunity,  and 
Dick  Roland  would  yet  rue  the  day  on  which  he  took 
such  undue  liberties  with  a  person  who  soared  so  far 
above  him. 

At  a  late  hour,  one  night,  in  company  with  his  com- 
panion in  mischief,  Lucas  was  returning  from  Llangob- 
aith,  where,  with  a  number  of  others,  he  and  John 
Spike  had  indulged  quite  freely  in  the  proverbial  strong 
ale  dealt  out  at  the  Red  Lion.  These  potations  had 
rendered  them  highly  courageous,  and  ready  in  their 
utterance,  and  had  added  much  to  the  strength  and 
height  of  their  conversational  pitch.  "Whispering  is 
not  one  of  the  characteristics  of  intoxication  in  any  of 
its  stages.  They  were  about  half  way  between  Druid's 
Grove  and  Riverside,  and  having  much  to  say  before 
reaching  their  destination,  they  sat  dowrn  by  the  road- 
side. 

"  You  are  right,  Lucas,"  said  Spike.  "  For  the  lying 
devil  to  treat  a  gentleman  in  that  way  was  outrageous ! 
I  would  pay  him  back  in  his  owrn  coin,  in  a  manner  that 
he  would  never  forget/' 

"  That  is  what  I  am  going  to  do,  if  I  can  ever  get  at 
him,"  said  Lucas,  "  but  how  to  go  about  it,  is  not  so 
clear.  John,  you  must  help  me  in  this.  I  would  give 


98  LLANGOBA1TH. 

twenty  pounds  to  see  that  cursed  coachman  fooled  ten 
times  worse  than  he  ever  fooled  any  one  else." 

44  We  can  bring  that  about  easy  enough,"  said  John. 
"  I  have  been  thinking  the  matter  over  a  good  deal  for 
a  day  or  t\vo  ;  and  if  I  have  had  some  help  from  older 
heads,  the  scheme  is  none  the  worse  for  that." 

After  indulging  in  a  plurality  of  profane  adjectives, 
qualifying  a  number  of  proper  nouns,  their  out-of-door 
conference  came  to  an  end,  and  they  moved  onward 
toward  Riverside. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

RAPIU    TRANSIT. 

Saturday  morning  was  pleasant,  anil  in  good  season 
our  young  people  were  ready  for  their  homeward  jour- 
ney. The  parting,  like  the  meeting,  was  affectionate  in 
the  full  sense  of  the  term.  A  few  warm  embraces,  and 
the  chariot  wheels  were  whirling  toward  Llangobaith. 
The  journey  was  delightful,  and  before  noon  they  had 
reached  the  "shop."  The  coachman  had  his  horses 
well  seen  to  at  the  stable  of  the  Red  Lion.  He  was 
warmly  invited  to  take  dinner  at  Mr.  Edwards',  but  he 
preferred  to  remain  at  the  hotel. 

Early  in  the  afternoon,  as  he  was  sitting  alone  in  one 
of  the  rooms,  a  well-dressed  gentleman  of  a  very  pleas- 
ing appearance  approached  him,  and  asked  if  his  name 
was  Richard  Rowland. 

"  That  is  the  name  I  received  at  my  baptism,  by  my 
god-father  and  god-mother,"  was  the  reply.  "  But,  my 
friends,  in  order  to  save  time,  call  me  *  Dick.'  " 

"Mr.  Rowland,"  said  the  stranger,  with  a  most  en- 
gaging smile,  "  my  name  is  Warren — Charles  Warren  . 
I  have  the  honor  of  being  an  agent  of  the  Marquis  of 
Anglesea  of  Plas  Newydd.  For  years  he  had  in  his 
service  a  most  trusty  coachman  by  the  name  of  Jones, 


100  LLAKGOBAITH. 

a  man  that  the  Marquis  highly  valued.  Two  weeks 
ago  Jones  died,  and  I  ain  in  search  of  a  person  that 
will  fill  his  place.  In  conversation  with  some  of  the 
dignitaries  at  Penrhyn  Castle  the  other  day,  your  name 
was  mentioned  to  the  Marquis  in  such  favorable  terms 
that  he  has  determined  to  secure  your  services,  even  if 
he  has  to  pay  you  twice  the  sum  paid  to  the  generality 
of  coachmen.  I  was  on  the  point  of  starting  for  Thrush 
Orove,  on  purpose  to  see  you,  but  I  accidentally  learned 
that  you  were  to  be  at  Llaugobaith  to-day.  I  have  no 
desire  to  discommode  Mrs.  Parry,  who,  as  I  learn,  is  a 
most  excellent  lady,  but  I  must  stand  by  the  interest  of 
the  Marquis.  Mr.  Rowland,  I  would  not  be  too  inquis- 
itive, but  I  will  ask  you  how  much  wages  do  you  get 
at  Llwyn  y  Fronfraith  T" 

"  She  pays  me  fair  wages,"  said  Dick,  "  but  I  would 
be  glad  to  get  more.  I  get  forty  pounds  a  year." 

"  That  is  not  bad,"  said  Warren,  "  but  I  am  fully  pre- 
pared to  assure  you  that  the  Marquis  will  gladly  pay 
you  eighty  pounds  in  solid  gold,  with  many  valuable 
presents." 

"  I  am  exceedingly  obliged  to  you,  Mr.  Warren,"  said 
Dick,  somewhat  affected.  "  I  shall  ever  remember  your 
great  kindness.  Mrs.  Parry  has  been  very  good,  but 
she  will  gladly  say  to  me,  « Go,'  when  she  knows  that  I 
am  to  get  such  grand  wages.  Eighty  pounds  !  Bless 
my  soul !  Yes,  Mr.  Warren,  I  will  gladly  come." 


RAPID   TRANSIT.  101 

"Every  man  should  study  his  own  interest,"  said 
Warren,  "  and  I  am  glad  that  you  view  things  in  their 
true  light.  There  is  one  thing  more.  The  Marquis' 
daughter  is  now  at  Penrhyn  Arms,  in  Bangor.  She  in- 
structed me,  if  you  accepted  the  offer,  to  ask  of  you  to 
come  to  Bangor  so  that  she  can  get  a  sight  of  her  new 
coachman,  of  whom  she  has  heard  such  favorable  re- 
ports. They  can  give  you  a  full  week  to  arrange  for 
your  new  situation.  Can  you  grant  the  lady  this  fa- 
vor !" 

"I  certainly  can,  sir,"  said  Dick,  "and  that  on  this 
very  day.  I  drive  as  good  a  pair  of  horses  as  the  parish 
can  show." 

"Very  well,"  said  Mr.  Warren,  "  I  will  send  the  boy 
with  my  horse  and  carriage  to  Baugor,  and  will  ride 
there  in  your  coach." 

"  I  thank  you  for  that  favor,"  said  Dick,  with  a  proper 
bow. 

Just  then  Lucas  and  John  Spike  came  in. 
"As  true  as  I  live,  here  is  Lord  Newboro's  coach- 
man !"  said  Lucas.  ''  Roland,  that  was  rather  a  hard 
joke  you  played  on  me  that  day.  I  was  a  little  angry 
at  first,  but  I  soon  got  over  that,  and  I  have  had  many 
a  laugh  over  it  since  ;  so  we  will  call  it  all  right  and  have 
a  little  ale." 

"  I  owe  you  an  apology  for  that  joke,  Mr.  Pugh,"  said 
Roland.  "  Somehow  it  is  in  me,  and  it  is  hard  to  get 


102  LLAXGOBAITH. 

rid  of  it.     I  hope  Mr.  Warren  here  will  not  think  that 
I  am  guilty  of  anything  that  is  very  bad." 

"  The  gentleman  seems  to  be  satisfied,  and  that  is 
enough,"  said  Warren.  "As  for  myself,  I  never  had 
the  ability  or  disposition  to  carry  out  a  joke." 

Here  a  man  on  a  horse  suddenly  appeared  in  front  of 
t.ie  Bed  Lion.  He  jumped  from  the  saddle,  hastened 
to  the  room,  and  handed  Lucas  Pugh  a  letter  that 
seemed  to  cause  him  some  astonishment. 

"  My  presence  is  demanded  at  Bangor  at  four  o'clock, 
on  important  business,"  said  he,  '•  and  here  I  am  two 
miles  from  home  without  a  horse.  I  don't  see  what  I 
am  to  do." 

"  I  can  relieve  you  from  that  embarrassment,"  said 
the  coachman,  in  the  politest  manner.  "  By  a  streak  of 
good  fortune,  which  I  never  dreamed  of,  I  am  called  to 
Bangor  myself,  and  will  be  there  before  four ;  and  if 
you  have  no  objection  to  ride  in  Lord  Newboro's  car- 
riage, and  if  Mr.  Warren  does  not  object  to  your  com- 
pany, I  shall  consider  myself  honored  in  being  your 
coachman.'' 

"  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  form  the  gentleman's  ac- 
quaintance," Mr.  Warren  said. 

"  Bichard,  I  am  deeply  obliged  to  you  for  your  kind 
offer,"  said  Pugh.  "  How  soon  will  you  be  ready  ?" 

"In  just  half  an  hour,"  was  the  answer.     "I  have  not 


RAPID    TRANSIT.  103 

much  time  to  spare.  My  horses  will  find  it  a  good  long 
pull  from  Bangor  to  Thrush  Grove." 

"  I  really  envy  these  gentlemen  the  pleasure  of  their 
ride,''  said  John  Spike,  "  and  I  am  greatly  tempted  to 
ask  Roland  the  favor  of  being  one  of  the  number" 

"  You  are  a  thousand  times  welcome,"  said  Dick. 
"More  the  merrier,"  and  with  a  bow.  he  left  the 
room. 

Then  a  more  joyful  three  were  never  seen  together. 
When  they  had  closed  the  door  they  laughed  and 
clapped  their  hands.  The  scheme  was  to  be  a  grand 


"Ha,  ha!"  cried  Lucas.  "Yes,  it  is  a  good  long 
pull  from  Bangor  to  Trush  Grove." 

"How  they  will  stare  at  him  at  Petirhyn  Arms  when 
he  inquires  for  the  daughter  of  the  Marquis  of  Angle  - 
sea!"  said  Spi^e,  and  again  the\  laughed. 

They  soon  brought  themselves  down  to  a  suitable 
seriousness,  and  waited  for  the  end  of  the  half  hour. 

Presently  Dick  appeared  with  his  magnificent  greys. 
A  finer  appearing,  or  a  faster  traveling  pair  were  sel- 
dom found.  They  were  entirely  safe,  and  the  coach- 
man's control  over  them  was  almost  magical.  A  word 
would  bring  them  to  a  sudden  stand,  trot'or  run.  To- 
day they  seemed  to  understand  from  Dick's  voice  that 
some  extra  service  would  be  required,  for  which  they 
were  thoroughly  prepared.  The  coachman  came  down 


104:  LLANOOBAITH. 

from  his  seat  and  opened  the  coach  door.  The  three 
schemers  hastily  took  their  seats. 

"  This  door,  like  my  mouth,  has  a  disposition  to  swing 
open  when  it  ought  to  remain  shut,"  said  Dick.  "  I 
will  therefore,  to  save  you  trouble,  lock  it." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Roland,"  said  Mr.  Warren. 

The  charioteer  was  again  in  his  seat.  He  took  the 
reins  in  his  hand,  cast  a  sly  glance  and  a  meaning  bow 
toward  the  "  shop  "  where  the  young  people  sat  in  a 
laughing  group,  spoke  the  word  which  the  horses  un- 
derstood so  well,  and  off  they  went  at  a  full  galloping 
speed,  not  toward  Bangor,  but  directly  toward  Thrush 
Grove.  The  road  was  smooth,  straight  and  level,  and 
the  proud  grays  swept  along  at  the  rate  of  twenty 
miles  an  hour.  Within  the  coach  there  was  a  terrible 
commotion.  They  soon  found  that  Bangor  was  not 
Dick's  objective  point,  and  that  they  themselves  were 
three  imprisoned  fools.  They  cursed,  swore,  pounded 
and  threatened,  while  the  laughing  coachman  was  the 
very  picture  of  enjoyment.  They  were  already  three 
miles  from  Llangobaith,  and  at  the  foot  of  a  hill  the 
horses  were  permitted  to  walk. 

"  Open  this  door,  you  mean  devil !"  cried  Lucas  in  a 
perfect  rage. 

"  Peace,  troubled  soul !  thou  need'st  not  fear,"  said 
Dick. 

"Let  us  burst  the  door  open!"  said  John  Spike. 


RAPID    TRANSIT.  105 

"  Do  it  if  you  dare ! "  said  the  coachman.  '•  The 
first  one  that  shows  his  head  out  of  this  coach,  without 
my  consent,  will  feel  the  full  weight  of  the  heavy  end 
of  my  whipstock.  Now  mind  that,  John  Spike!  I  shall 
let  you  out  when  you  beg  for  it  in  a  proper  spirit. 
Now  we  have  reached  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  here  we 
go  for  Bangor.  How  I  long  to  see  the  bewitching 
smiles  that  play  on  the  ruby  lips  of  the  Marquis'  daugh- 
ter !"  Then  the  word,  and  the  horses  went  at  full  speed 
for  some  two  miles  farther.  Here  they  stopped.  Dick 
left  his  seat,  bearing  in  his  hand  a  huge  whip.  He  first, 
in  his  own  comical  way,  looked  at  them  through  the 
thick  glass  door.  Lucas  and  John  were  terribly  angry, 
while  Mr.  Warren  broke  out  in  a  hearty  laugh. 

Here  Dick  opened  the  door  and  said,  "  Shall  we  have 
a  few  words  from  the  agent  of  the  Marquis  of  Angle- 
sea?" 

"  Roland,"  said  the  agent,  "  from  the  first,  I  entered 
into  this  as  a  joke,  without  the  least  ill  will.  You  had 
played  a  good  one  on  Pugh,  and  he  sought  my  assist- 
ance to  pay  you  back.  "We  have  been  completely  worst- 
ed, and  I  take  my  defeat  most  cheerfully.  I  think  these 
boys  will  be  wise  enough  to  do  the  same.  Roland,  how 
far  are  we  from  Llangobaith?" 

"Just  five  miles,"  was  the  answer,  "and  perhaps  that 
is  far  enough  to  carry  a  joke.  You  were  entitled  to  the 

trial,  and  it  was  prepared  with  much  ingenuity.     And 
7 


106  LLANOOBAITH. 

now,  Pugh  and  Spike,  are  you  ready  to  accept  this  in  a 
pleasant  way,  or  do  you  wish  to  ride  a  little  farther  ?  " 

"  For  heaven's  sake,  let  us  get  out  of  this ! "  said 
Lucas,  "and  don't  say  anything  about  it." 

"  Then  come  out,"  said  Dick.  "  Go  in  peace,  and  sin 
no  more.  But  for  fear  that  you  may  give  Dick  Roland 
too  much  credit,  and  yourselves  too  little,  let  me  say, 
the  next  time  that  Lucas  and  John  deliberate  together, 
touching  matters  of  this  nature,  let  it  not  be  out  of 
doors  and  in  a  loud  voice,  at  a  late  hour  of  the  night, 
sitting  by  the  side  of  the  hedge  in  the  road  between 
Druid's  Grove  and  Riverside ;  for  there  is  no  telling 
who  there  may  be  listening  on  the  other  side  of  the 
hedge." 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha ! ''  cried  Warren,"  that  tells  the  whole 
story.  Come,  boys,  let  us  go/'  And  they  parted. 

John  and  Lucas  secretly  cherished  much  wrath. 
The  coachman  took  his  seat,  and  for  the  rest  of  the 
journey  he  permitted  his  horses  to  move  at  a  moderate 
rate. 

Dick  said  nothing  about  the  joke,  but  it  was  soon 
understood  at  Llangobaith  ;  and  many  a  tin-e  after  this 
Lucas  had  to  listen  to  the  remark,  "  I  wonder  if  the 
Marquis  of  Anglesea  has  yet  found  a  coachman !" 


To  the  great  joy  of  our  young  friends,  on  reaching 
home  they  learned  that  the  noted  pulpit  orator.  Rev. 


PULPIT   ORA.TOB.  107 

William  Williams,  of  "  Wern,"  was  to  preach  at  the 
Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  on  the  morrow,  at  half- 
past  ten.  This  famous  Congregationalist  came  to  the 
vicinity  at  the  beginning  of  the  week  to  pay  a  short 
visit  to  his  cousin,  Thomas  Williams,  who  was  one  of 
the  church  officials.  A  delegation  waited  on  the  rev- 
erend gentleman,  and  he  kindly  consented  to  remain 
over  the  Sabbath  and  preach.  The  news  had  spread  in 
all  directions,  for  his  fame  was  not  second  to  that  of 
Rev.  John  Elias. 

The  congregation  was  immense.  He  took  for  his 
text,  "And  that  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  be 
preached  in  His  name  among  all  nations,  beginning  at 
Jerusalem."  There  was  a  magnetism  about  his  preach- 
ing that  is  indescribable.  For  about  ten  minutes,  in 
the  most  ingenious  manner,  he  arranged  his  subject. 
He  entered  into  his  theme,  warming  up  as  he  advanced, 
while  every  eye  was  fastened  upon  his  illuminated  coun- 
tenance. The  sermon  abounded  in  the  most  striking 
illustrations.  When  he  came  to  the  last  part  of  his 
text,  showing  why  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  should 
begin  at  Jerusalem,  after  many  other  reasons,  he  said — 

"  And  last  of  all,  it  was  to  test  its  power.  At  the  vil- 
lage of  Bersham,  where  I  now  reside,  there  is  a  foundry 
for  casting  cannon.  After  they  are  cast,  they  we  tested 
by  the  foundei-s,  who  first  of  all  put  in  a  single  charge, 
and  if  they  bear  that,  then  a  double  charge.  If  they 


108  LLAXliOBAITH. 

bear  that  without  bursting,  then  they  are  pronounced 
fit  for  the  deck  of  a  man-of-war,  or  the  battle-field.  In 
this  the  casters  act  wisely,  for  if  there  should  be  a  flaw 
in  these  engines  of  war,  it  is  better  that  it  should  be 
detected  in  the  foundry- yard,  than  in  the  act  of  being 
fired  against  the  enemy  in  the  far  distance.  The  gos- 
pel was  a  new  and  untried  instrument.  It  was  first  to 
be  tested ;  and  where  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth 
was  there  a  more  fitting  place  than  Jerusalem  for 
making  the  first  experiment?  If  the  gospel  proved 
itself  instrumentally  equal  to  the  conversion  of  Jerusa- 
lem sinners,  no  misgiving  could  ever  be  entertained 
concerning  its  fitness  to  do  execution  in  the  land  of  the 
Gentiles.  Peter  was  the  man  appointed  to  test  this 
new  gun.  He  charged  it,  and  fired.  Three  thousand 
were  converted  on  the  first  trial !  After  this,  the  fish- 
ermen of  Galilee  went  every  where  boldly  preaching 
the  word,  fully  assured  that  the  gospel,  which  had 
proved  to  be  the  power  of  God  in  the  salvation  of  Jeru- 
salem shiners,  would  answer  in  every  other  part  of  the 
globe." 

The  service  closed ;  and  all  the  people  were  aston- 
ished at  his  doctrine. 


CHAPTER  X. 

MOTHER'S  LOVE,  A.ND  "  DUST  TO  DUST.'' 

/ 

Of  Gwennie's  parents  we  have  said  but  little.  The 
father,  as  already  intimated,  was  an  avaricious  man  of 
the  world,  fully  bent  on  the  accumulation  of  wealth. 
It  is  strange  that  such  a  person  had  been  able  to  secure 
the  heart  and  hand  of  the  pure-minded  and  accomplished 
Sarah  WilJiams.  His  ardent  professions  of  love,  and 
the  bright  colors  in  which  he  portrayed  the  future,  won 
her  consent.  At  that  time  Thomas  Lloyd  presented 
several  favorable  traits.  His  love  of  gain  had  gradual- 
ly crept  upon  him  until  at  last  he  became  a  most  ardent 
worshiper  at  the  shrine  of  Mammon.  There  was  in 
the  family  no  visible  signs  of  uiihappiness.  Mrs.  Lloyd 
sweetly  smiled  on  all  her  neighbors,  and  bore  her  griefs 
in  silence.  She  was  a  devoted  Christian,  and  contrary 
to  her  husband's  wishes,  had  united  with  the  Methodist 
church  at  Llangobaith.  She  was  in  a  declining  state 
of  health,  and  was  fully  conscious  that  her  -  earthly 
house  of  this  tabernacle  "  would  soon  dissolve.  Gwen- 
nie,  under  the  training  of  this  pious  mother,  had,  from 
her  infancy,  loved  to  pray,  and  daily  she  walked  in  the 
humble  footsteps  of  the  Man  of  Nazareth. 


110  LLANGOBAITH. 

In  Liverpool,  Dick  Jones  found  employment  in  a 
large  provision  store,  near  the  dock.  Here  ships  were 
furnished  for  long  voyages.  He  received  good  wages, 
much  of  which,  again  and  again,  he  sent  to  his  parents 
with  an  assurance  of  his  most  earnest  love.  In  this 
place  he  remained  for  nearly  three  years,  holding  reg- 
ular correspondence  with  Mary  Humphreys. 

One  day  a  captain  of  an  East  Indiaman,  who  had 
often  noticed  his  activity,  asked  him  if  he  would  not 
like  to  be  a  sailor.  The  young  man  said  that  above 
all  things  he  desired  it.  The  captain  told  him  that  be 
might  come  aboard  of  his  ship,  which  was  to  sail  for 
Bombay  in  two  weeks;  he  would  give  him  an  easy 
berth,  ranging  between  the  forecastle  and  the  cabin. 
Without  delay,  Kichard  wrote  home  a  most  affectionate 
letter,  begging  in  the  most  earnest  manner  for  permis- 
sion to  go  to  sea.  With  tears,  they  wrote  to  their  son 
that  he  might  go  with  his  parents'  blessing.  The  sail- 
ing day  arrived,  and  the  noble  ship  Bombay,  before  a 
favorable  breeze,  started  on  her  long  voyage.  Gayly 
the  colors  waved,  joyfully  the  sailors  chanted  their 
merry  choruses,  as  the  proud  craft  plowed  the  waves 
of  the  Mersey  on  her  way  to  the  broad  ocean.  But 
alas!  never  again  would  the  voices  of  those  jolly  tars 
vibrate  in  the  sky  of  old  England  !  The  vessel  encount- 
ered terrific  gales  in  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  was  wrecked. 
As  far  as  could  be  gathered,  all  on  board  had  per- 


MOTHER'S  LOVE,  AND  "DUST  TO  DUST."  Ill 

ished  except  a  negro  cook  aud   one  sailor,  a  native  of 
India. 

The  news  almost  crushed  the  parents,  while  brother 
and  sisters  joined  in  loud  lamentation.  Mary  Hum- 
phreys sought  a  secluded  spot,  and  there  poured  her 
young  heart  in  weeping  over  the  sad  fate  of  her  own 
deal-  Dick.  Hundreds  in  the  parish  of  Llangobaith, 
besides  near  relatives,  shed  tears  of  affectionate  sorrow 
over  the  heartrending  calamity.  Chief  among  these 
sorrowful  ones  were  the  four  young  persons  so  well 
known  to  the  reader. 

A  short  time  before  the  sailing  of  his  vessel,  Dick 
Jones  had  written  the  following  : 
"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND,  LLEWELYN  EDWARDS  : 

"In  a  few  days,  Providence  permitting,  I  start  on  a 
long  voyage.  My  long  cherished  desire  is  about  to  be 
realized,  and  I  am  to  be  a  sailor.  I  have  the  full 
permission  of  my  parents,  and  am  happy.  I  may  be  as 
safe  on  the  sea  as  on  land,  but  not  knowing  what  may 
transpire,  I  will  write  to  one  who  was  the  genuine 
friend  of  my  early  years. 

*'  At  Pren  y  Gog  we  were  poor  children,  and  our  gar- 
ments were  of  very  cheap  materials.  Some  few  laughed 
at  us  and  injured  our  feelings  with  unkind  words.  But 
on  your  countenance  we  always  found  friendly  smiles, 
and  your  kindness  made  us  happy.  I  said  a,  few  laughed 
at  us.  Yes,  thank  God,  the  number  was  small.  The 
abuse  I  received  at  the  hand  of  Lucas  Pugh,  ever  since 
I  was  a  small  lad,  no  one  on  earth  fully  knows  but  my- 


112  LLANOOBA1TH. 

self.  I  hid  much  of  it,  even  from  iny  parents,  in  order 
to  spare  their  feelings  ;  and  what  they  did  know  of  his 
cruel  conduct,  they  begged  of  me,  for  their  sake,  to  bear 
in  silence.  I  look  upon  him  as  one  of  the  vilest  wretch- 
es that  ever  cursed  the  footstool  of  God.  He  has  often, 
when  we  were  both  young,  without  the  least  provoca- 
tion, cut  me  cruelly  with  his  whip,  in  the  presence  of 
his  mother,  who  looked  on  and  laughed  at  my  agony ! 
When  I  became  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  old,  he  was  not 
quite  as  venturesome,  but  on  every  available  occasion 
he  would  do  what  he  could  to  injure  my  feelings.  Since 
then  I  have  often  asked,  '  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  the 
whole  earth  do  right  f  Lucas  Pugh  may  yet  find, 
even  in  this  world,  that  '  the  way  of  the  transgressor  is 
hard.'  But  my  earjy  misery  was  often  relieved  by  the 
tender  hearts,  comforting  lips  and  generous  hands  of 
dear  Mrs.  Lloyd  and  her  sweet  little  Gwennie,  together 
with  the  members  of  the  family  at  the  '  shop.' 

**  Although  I  am  delighted  with  the  thought  of  my 
voyage,  I  am  at  times  a  little  sad  when  I  think  that 
possibly  I  may  never  again  see  my  native  land  and  the 
faces  of  those  I  so  dearly  love.  I  commit  my  all  to  the 
Lord,  whose  '  ways  are  in  the  sea  and  his  paths  in  the 
great  waters.'  I  send  my  grateful  regards  to  your 
father,  sister  and  aunt.  Do  what  you  can  to  cheer  the 
minds  of  my  dear  parents.  The  consent  the}'  gave  me 
cost  them  a  struggle,  and  my  love  for  them  is  intense. 
I  hope,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  to  be  the  support  of 
their  declining  years.  I  have  no  higher  ambition.  In 
hopes  of  meeting  again,  I  remain  your  sincere  friend 

RICHABD  JONES." 


MOTHER'S  LOVE,  AND  "  DCST  TO  DUST."  113 

It  was  about  one  year  after  Gwenuie's  visit  to  Mrs. 
Parry,  and  in  the  parlor,  at  Druid's  Grove,  in  an  easy 
chair  sat  Mrs.  Lloyd.  Her  face  was  pale  arid  thin,  but 
there  were  yet  strong  traces  of  her  former  beauty.  Her 
large,  dark  eyes  flashed  with  intelligence.  On  a  low  stool, 
almost  touching  her  feet,  sat  her  daughter,  with  a  sad 
countenance  and  tearful  eyes. 

"  But,  my  deai-  mamma,"  said  Gwennie,  "  don't  talk 
in  that  way  !  Dr.  Evans,  I  am  sure,  can  give  you  some- 
thing that  will  stop  that  cough,  and  in  a  few  days  you 
will  be  better." 

"  My  darling  is  ever  hopeful,"  said  the  mother,  '•  but, 
Gwenuie,  my  time  on  earth  is  very  short,  and  while  I 
have  a  little  strength  I  must  improve  it  for  your  bene- 
fit. I  have  a  few  things  on  my  mind  that  I  must  tell 
my  child  before  I  join  the  saints  above." 

The  daughter  buried  her  face  in  her  mother's  lap  and 
loudly  sobbed. 

"My  mind  is  as  calm  as  a  summer  eve,"  said  the 
mother.  '•  It  will  only  be  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ. 
For  your  sake,  I  cling  to  earth  ;  otherwise,  I  long  for 
my  release.  Gwennie,  there  are  secret  powers  at  work 
which  at  last,  if  not  frustrated  by  a  determined  spirit 
on  your  part,  will  involve  you  in  temporal  and  spiritual 
ruin." 

"My  dear  mamma,"  replied  the  daughter,  "whatever 
may  meet  me,  I  shall  be  governed  by  the  fear  of  the 


114  LLANOOBAITH. 

Lord,  my  moral  convictions  and  the  wishes  of  my 
mother." 

"  That  is  just  like  my  good,  devoted  daughter !"  said 
Mrs.  Lloyd.  "Gwennie,  from  frequent  remarks  of 
your  father  to  me  when  alone  together,  I  find  that  at 
Glan'rafon  they  expect  that  you  are  to  be  the  wife  of 
Lucas  Pugh !'' 

"  Mamma,"  said  Gwennie,  "  I  will  presently  open  to 
you  my  whole  heart.  Please  go  on.  How  does  the 
thing  strike  my  father  ?" 

"Alas,  my  child!"  was  the  reply,  "he  is  completely 
carried  away  with  the  thought,  and  will  do  all  within  his 
power  to  advance  the  scheme !  To  me  the  Pughs  are 
repulsive.  They  have  never  a  smile  for  the  poor,  nor  a 
gift  for  the  needy.  They  'fear  not  God,  nor  regard 
man.'  Lucas  is  a  depraved,  malicious  young  person. 
And  this  is  the  one  they  select  as  a  husband  for  my 
dear,  sweet  girl!  May  Heaven  forbid  it!"  And  the 
mother  wept. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  mother !"  cried  Gwennie,  clasping  her 
hands,  "  Heaven  will  forbid  it !  If  the  time  ever  ar- 
rives when  on  this  point  it  will  require  courage,  let  my 
mother  know  that  it  will  not  be  wanting." 

"  God  bless  my  dear  child  !"  said  Mrs.  Lloyd,  while 
a  sweet  smile  of  peace  rested  on  her  pale  face.  "  I  fear 
that  you  will  meet  with  stormy  times.  You  are  not  a 
stranger  to  your  father's  iron  will.  Thomas  Lloyd  was 


MOTHEK'S  LOVE,  AND  "DUST  TO  DUST."  115 

once  a  better  man.  Let  us  confide  in  God  and  seek 
directions  at  the  throne  of  grace.  You  have  moved  in 
good,  intelligent,  and  godly  society,  and  it  is  very  pos- 
sible that  you  have  seen  some  one,  who,  in  your  own 
secret  heart,  you  more  than  highly  respect.  I  trust 
that  before  my  daughter  there  is  a  happy  future.  Gwen- 
nie,  Llewelyn  Edwards  is  one  of  God's  noblemen,  and 
is  to  be  an  eminent  minister  of  the  everlasting  gospel. 

Here  Gwennie's  face  turned  crimson,  while  in  some 
confusion  she  replied : 

"  My  dear  mamma,  these  are  strange  words  to  which 
I  listen !  Why  mention  the  name  of  a  person  who  has 
never  whispered  to  me  a  word  touching  love  or  matri- 
mony f 

"  Has  he  not,  my  deal-  ?"  replied  the  mother,  as  she 
gazed  on  the  tearful,  laughing  eyes  of  Gweunie.  "  Per- 
haps not  yet,  in  so  many  words.  The  language  of 
love  is  not  confined  to  the  tongue.  I  am  getting  weary ; 
kiss  your  mother  and  leave,  and  may  God  give  you 
grace  to  act  well  your  part  in  the-stern  battles  of  life." 

The  daughter  kissed  the  mother  with  stronger  affec- 
tion than  ever  before,  and  hastened  to  her  own  chamber 
where  she  freely  indulged  in  a  flood  of  tears.  But  they 
were  not  all  those  of  sorrow. 


The  chamber  was  still  and  solemn.     The  hour  which 
Gwennie  had  fondly  hoped  was  far  away  had  already 


116 


LLANGOBAITH. 


arrived,  and  her  dear  mother  was  in  the  "  swellings  of 
Jordan."  Pillowed  high  oil  a  soft  couch,  the  amiable 
and  pious  mistress  of  Druid's  Grove  was  fast  sinking 
into  the  shades  of  mortality.  There  were  present  many 
of  her  neighbors,  while  their  tearful  eyes  and  heaving 
bosoms  testified  how  dearly  they  valued  the  one  who 
was  about  to  leave  them.  Mrs.  Owen,  of  the  "  shop," 
stood  by  and  gently  fanned  the  pale,  sweet  face  of  the 
dying  saint.  Gwennie  vas  graciously  nerved  for  the 
occasion,  and  did  not  distress  her  mother  by  any  out- 
ward demonstration  of  grief.  She  knelt  by  the  couch, 
with  her  mother's  hand  in  her  own,  and  gazed  on  the 
sufferer  with  a  look  of  intense  affection.  Her  uncle 
Morris,  from  Carnarvon,  stood  with  quivering  lips  near 
the  couch,  while  her  father  looked  on  with  deep  solem- 
nity. 

"  The  valley  is  beautifully  lighted,"  said  the  mother 
in  faint  accents.  "  I  have  no  dread  of  Jordan's  waves. 
Jesus  meets  me  on  the  shore !  I  want  Gwennie  and  Mary 
Humphreys  to  sing  .together  once  more  my  favorite 
verse,, 

"  Cyfaill  yvf  yn  afon  angen, 
Ddeil  fy  inhen  yn  uwch  na  'r  don." 

[Christ,  my  friend,  in  death's  dark  river 
Holds  niy  head  above  the  wave."] 

Gwennie  and  Mary,  both  divinely  assisted,  sung  in 
soft,  sweet  accents,  the  eight  lines  in  an  old  pathetic 


MOTHER'S  LOVE,  AND  "DUST  TO  DUST."  117 

minor  melody,  and  with  the  ending  cadence,  the  happy 
spirit,  without  a  struggle,  left  its  clay  mansion,  and 
amid  the  songs  of  angels  reached  the  "Bright  For- 
ever." 

The  funeral  services  at  the  house  were  conducted  by 
Rev.  Thomas  Lewis.  The  Pugh  family  attended  with 
all  their  usual  display  of  pomp  and  vanity.  Mrs.  Pugh 
was  attired  in  that  superfluity  of  apparel  whichr 
especially  at  funerals,  shows  a  weakness  of  mind.  Her 
husband  blustered  about  with  an  imperious  air. 

At  the  parish  church  Rev.  Hugh  Rowlands  not  only 
read  the  burial  service,  but  delivered  a  fine  eulogy  on 
the  pious  and  benevolent  life  of  the  departed. 

At  the  grave  the  chapel  choir  sung  the  familiar  fune- 
ral hymn  that  begins, 

"  Ni  ddaw  'ngbyfeillion  teg  eu  gwedd, 
I'm  hebrwng  ond  hyd  Ian  y  bedd." 

[Kind  friends  with  all  their  ardent  love, 
Must  leave  their  dear  ones  in  the  tomb.] 

It  was  sung  in  that  thrilling  old  long  meter  tune,. 
"  Bampton,"  which  can  never  be  forgotten  by  any  lover 
of  minor  melody  who  ever  heard  it.  The  "  dust  to  dust, 
earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,"  were  committed,  and 
such  was  the  great  solemnity  produced,  that  a  far  less 
number  than  usual  on  such  occasions,  visited  the  par- 
lors of  the  Red  Lion. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

PARTING   AND    PLOTTING. 

Gradually  Gweniiie  resumed  much  of  her  former 
cheerfulness,  and  things  at  Druid's  Grove  moved  with 
much  regularity.  Her  father  was  seemingly  affection- 
ate— more  so  than  formerly.  But  the  daughter  had 
her  misgivings  that  under  those  extra  shows  of  kind- 
ness, there  lurked  motives  and  purposes  at  the  thought 
of  which  she  shuddered.  The  frequent  visits  of  Lucas 
Pugh  were  highly  pleasing  to  Lloyd,  and  Gwennie, 
under  a  sense  of  duty  to  her  father's  guest,  always 
treated  him  with  civility.  This  ladylike  deportment 
was  construed  by  her  father  and  Pugh  into  an  evidence 
of  a  fair  degree  of  regard  for  the  heir  of  Glan'rafon. 

Gwennie  and  Llewelyn,  as  is  well  known,  had  been 
much  in  each  other's  society  from  early  childhood. 
"When  children  they  had  loved  each  other  with  that  ' 
affection  peculiar  to  that  juvenile  period.  During  sub- 
sequent years  this  early  attachment  had  glided  into  a 
stronger  and  more  earnest  type.  Llewelyn  was  sure  in 
his  own  mind  that  there  was  not  a  person  in  the  wide 
world  for  whom  he  cherished  such  feelings  as  those  he 
had  for  Gwennie.  And  the  young  lady  knew  that  there 
was  but  one  jroung  man  on  the  face  of  the  earth  that 


PARTING   AND    PLOTTING.  119 

could  make  her  heart  throb  with  affectionate  emotions. 
They  seemed  to  understand  each  other's  feelings,  and 
each  had  equal  anticipations.  The  young  man  had  of 
late  wondered  at  himself  for  delaying  what  he  firmly 
purposed  to  do,  while  the  young  lady  occasionally  in- 
nocently wondered  at  the  same  thing. 

It  was  well  known  to  young  Edwards  that  Lucas  was 
greatly  taken  up  with  Gwennie's  beauty  and  accom- 
plishments ;  and  he  thought  it  possible  that  in  his  con- 
ceit and  vanity  he  might  go  so  far  as  to  ask  for  her 
hand.  Of  one  thing,  however,  he  was  in  blissful  igno- 
rance ;  he  was  not  aware  that  her  father  was  endeavor- 
ing to  bring  about  such  a  union. 

He  was  now  about  to  leave  home  for  the  Bala  Theo- 
logical Institute,  to  prepare  himself  more  fully  for  the 
work  of  the  Christian  ministry.  He  had  already  preached 
repeatedly  at  Llangobaith  and  at  neighboring  chapels, 
and  had  astonished  the  people  with  his  eloquence  and 
ready  utterance.  He  would  not  leave  without  revealing 
to  Gwenuie  in  plain  words  the  honest  feelings  of  his 
heart.  He  had  given  her  to  understand  that  on  a  cer- 
tain evening  he  would  call  at  her  home,  to  bid  her  good 
bye.  Fortunately,  her  father  on  that  day  would  leave 
for  Pwllheli,  and  would  not  return  for  several  days. 

Gwennie,  with  a  beating  heart,  was  in  the  parlor 
waiting  for  the  coming  of  Llewelyn  ;  and  thus  she 
mused,  "  He  said  he  was  coming  '  to  bid  me  good  bye.' 


120  LLANGOBAITH. 

Is  that  all  ?  That  look  he  gave  me  when  he  spoke  the 
words  was  peculiar ;  and  his  voice  trembled.  Noble 
Llewelyn  !  little  do  you  know  of  the  depth  of  that  love 
that  in  this  heart  is  cherished,  for  you  alone  !  Dearer 
than  ever  are  you  to  me  since  you  have  been  called  to 
be  an  ambassador  of  the  Prince  of  Peace!  You  come 
'  to  bid  me  good  bye,'  and — 1 

Footsteps  were  heard  close  by ;  Llewelyn  knocked  at 
the  door,  and  soon  the  twain  were  seated  in  the  parlor. 

"And  you  have  come  to  bid  me  good  bye,"  said 
Gwennie  in  as  steady  a  voice  as  she  could  command. 
"  There  is  indeed  a  sadness  in  those  two  words,  and  I 
need  not  tell  you  how  much  we  shall  miss  one  whose 
society  we  so  highly  value.  But  for  one,  I  am  glad 
that  the  friend  of  my  childhood  has  already  consecrated 
himself  to  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel.  Llewelyn, 
I  bid  you  God-speed !" 

"Thank  you,  Gwennie,  for  your  kind,  cheering 
words,"  said  the  young  man.  "To-morrow  morning 
I  start  for  Bala,  and  I  am  here  to  bid  Gwennie  Lloyd 
good  bye !  But  before  we  pronounce  those  thrilling, 
parting  words,  I  have  something  to  tell  you  that  has 
been  long  cherished  in  my  heart.  I  have  been  much 
in  your  company,  and  in  you  I  have  found  a  perfection 
of  moral  worth  that  is  superlative.  My  speech  at  this 
time  will  be  plain  and  brief.  This  is  no  time  for  a  dis- 
play of  words.  You  have  known  me  from  the  days  of 


PARTING  AND  PLOTTING.  121 

my  childhood.  I  have  some  learning,  but  very  little 
wealth.  For  a  long  time  I  have  greatly  loved  you,  and 
now,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  I  ask,  Will  you  promise 
to  be  my  wife  at  some  suitable  period  in  the  future,  if 
oui'  lives  are  spared?" 

With  some  embarrassment,  Gwennie  replied,  '•  Llew- 
elyn, I  thank  you  for  your  plain,  honest  words.  I  con- 
sider myself  honored  in  being  the  object  of  your  affec- 
tion. If  you  have  not  known  it  before,  be  it  known  to 
you  now,  that  for  years  you  have  been  the  only  earthly 
being  on  whom  my  peculiar  affection  has  centered.  I 
thank  you  for  your  love.  To  me  it  is  worth  more  than 
all  beside.  With  unspeakable  pleasure,  I  promise  to 
be  your  loving,  devoted  wife,  and  share^in  the  joys  and 
sorrows  of  your  ministerial  life." 

"Gwennie,  dear,"  said  Llewelyn,  ''my  cup  of  earthly 
enjoyment  is  full  and  running  over!  The  period  of  my 
study  at  Bala  will  be  rendered  delightful  with  tthe 
thought  of  my  betrothed  darling." 

"Llewelyn,"  said  Gwennie,  "I  most  joyfully  accept 
your  heart  and  hand,  with  the  full  ^knowledge  that  the 
step  will  bring  upon  me  the  frowns  of  my  father,  who, 
as  my  mother  informed  me,  has  purposed  in  his  heart 
that  I  must  be  wedded  to  one  whose  presence  I  loathe." 

"  Can  it  be  possible  that  your  father  favors  the  ap- 
proaches of  Lucas  Pugh?"  asked  Llewelyn  "with  much 

astonishment. 
8 


122  LLANOOBAITH. 

uHe  surely  does,"  she  said,  "and  the  time  is  not  far 
away  when  he  will  force  upon  me  this  offensive  subject. 
His  will  is  imperious,  and  lie  may  resort  to  harsh  meas- 
ures. But  you  may  rest  assured  that  I  am  yours  for- 
ever. No  earthly  power  can  ever  change  my  purpose." 

"Gwennie,  I  am  sorry  to  be  the  means  of  leading 
you  into  trouble,"  said  the  young  man,  touched  by  the 
maiden's  heroic  language. 

"The  trouble  would  be  all  the  same,  independent  of 
you,"  washer  answer.  "  My  father  is  bent  on  my  union 
with  the  heir  of  Riverside.  I  have  no  great  anxiety  for 
myself.  I  fear  that  when  Lucas  comes  to  know  the 
whole  truth,  his  malice  will  invent  some  mischief 
against  you." 

"  On  that  point,  Gwennie,  let  us  borrow  no  trouble," 
said  Edwards.  "  I  have  the  sweet  assurance  that  our 
betrothal  is  well  pleasing  to  God,  and  that  before  us 
there  is  a  happy  and  useful  future." 

The  conversation  that  followed  was  long  and  happy ; 
and  in  parting,  never  did  true  hearts  beat  with  purer 
love.  With  a  light  heart,  Llewelyn  sought  his  quiet 
home,  and  Gwennie  Lloyd,  with  her  bosom  heaving 
with  peculiar  emotion,  went  to  her  chamber  and  gave 
vent  to  her  feelings  in  a  flood  of  joyful  tears. 


Friday  at  Bangor  was  "  Dydd  y  Farc.hnad,"  (market 
day),  and  the  farmers  of  the  surrounding  country,  with 


PASTING    AND    PLOTTING.  123 

hundreds  of  others,  gave  to  the  streets  on  that  day  a 
lively  appearance,  while  the  public  houses  reaped  a 
benefit.  Late  in  the  afternoon  of  one  of  these  market 
days,  Evan  Pugh  and  Thomas  Lloyd  were  closeted  to- 
gether in  a  select  little  parlor  at  the  "Harp."  Their 
good-natured  smiles  and  the  freshness  of  their  counte- 
nances indicated  that  they  had  been  there  for  some 
time,  and  the  bar-maid's  entrance  with  another  quart, 
was  a  sign  that  they  were  to  remain  together  a  while 
longer. 

"Yes,  Lloyd,  as  I  was  telling  you.''  said  Evan  Pugh, 
*'he  is  'a  chip  of  the  old  block.'  He  is  father  every 
inch.  He  is  none  of  your  blubbering,  so  called,  phi- 
lanthropists, who  fool  away  their  money  on  worthless 
paupers,  that  are  too  lazy  to  work,  or  on  ranting,  dis- 
senting ministers,  who  ought  to  be  shut  up  in  mad- 
houses." 

"  That  is  the  kind  of  young  man  for  me ! "  responded 
Lloyd.  "  May  he  ever  follow  in  the  worthy  footsteps 
of  his  father  ?  " 

"And  by  the  way,  Lloyd,''  said  Pugh,  "  my  boy,  when 
he  is  ready  for  a  wife,  does  not  intend  to  go  far  away 
from  home  in  search  of  one.  Ha,  ha !  Lloyd,  let  us 
drink  on  that." 

"  Here  is  to  the  noble  heir  of  Riverside,"  said  Lloyd, 
rising ;  "  and  to  the  fortunate  maiden  who  shall  be 
honored  with  the  offer  of  his  heart  and  hand  !" 


124  IXANGOBAITH. 

"And,"  said  Pugh,  rising  also,  "  here  is  to  the  beau- 
tiful and  accomplished  Gwenuie  Lloyd,  of  Druid's 
Grove,  who,  above  all  others,  the  heir  of  Glan'rafon 
admires,  and  who,  before  many  days,  he  will  select  as 
his  bride  ! " 

Here  they  brought  their  glasses  together,  drank,  cor- 
dially shook  hands,  and  sat  down.  Pugh  would  have 
called  for  another  quart,  but  Lloyd  gently  remonstra- 
ted, and  they  were  soon  on  their  way  homeward. 

For  once  at  least,  Thomas  Lloyd  was  exceedingly 
amiable.  To  even  Robin  Jones,  who  took  care  of  his 
horse,  to  whom  he  seldom  addressed  a  polite  sentence, 
he  was  civil,  and  actually  pleasant.  That  young  Welsh- 
man was  startled  by  the  gift  of  a  shilling,  which  caused 
the  serious  inquiry  in  his  mind  whether  he  was  really 
"  in  the  body "  or  not.  This  question  was  soon  de- 
cided in  the  affirmative.  The  next  question  to  be  de- 
cided, was,  whether  the  man  who  had  given  him  the 
shilling  was  Thomas  Lloyd  of  Druid's  Grove.  This 
also  had  to  be  answered  in  the  affirmative.  But  had 
he  really  given  him  a  shilling?  He  put  his  hand  in  the 
depth  of  his  pocket,  and  there,  sure  enough,  was  the 
coin.  He  took  it  out  and  looked  at  it,  and  there  seemed 
to  be  no  mistake.  He  next  put  the  coin  between  his 
teeth  and  bit  it.  He  at  last  concluded  that  it  was  all 
reality,  but  exceedingly  strange.  So  he  led  the  pony 


PARTING  AND  PLOTTING.  125 

into  the  stable,  humming  as  he  went,  a  part  of  an  old 
Welsh  "  penill." 

"Well,  said  Robin  Jones  to  himself,  "last  Sabbath 
the  parson  preached  on  the  millennium.  Who  knows 
but  that  this  is  a  piece  of  it  ?  I  am  well  pleased  with 
it  as  far  as  it  goes.  I  am  sure  it  is  a  grand  improve- 
ment on  the  old  dispensation.  But  will  it  last  for  a 
thousand  years'?  A  shorter  one  will  answer  my  pur- 
pose just  as  well.1'  And  Robin  once  more  felt  of  his 
silver  coin. 


In  their  favorite  drinking  chamber  at  the  Red  Lion 
were  found  Lucas  and  John.  Their  intoxication  had 
reached  that  point  which  rendered  their  tongues  ex- 
ceedingly ready  of  utterance,  and  their  spirit  light  and 
gay.  They  had  been  together  for  some  time,  and  we 
must  take  the  conversation  as  we  find  it. 

"Her  big  piety  and  Methodistic  notions,  of  course,  I 
don't  fancy,"  said  Lucas,  with  an  air  of  self-complaisance, 
"  but  when  she  comes  to  Riverside,  she  will  throw  aside 
such  foolish  nonsense." 

"If  she  comes  to  Riverside  I  think  she  will,''  said 
Spike  with  a  slight  smile. 

"  But  why  do  you  say  '  if  V  "  asked  Lucas  with  some 
emphasis. 

"  Pugh,"    said  Spike,  "  I  have  some  fears  that  her 


126  LLANGOBA1TH. 

*  big  piety  and  Methodistic  notions,'  as  you  well  term 
them,  will  lead  her  to  reject  your  offer." 

"  Never !"  cried  Pugh,  bringing  down  his  hand  on 
the  table  with  tremendous  force.  "  She  will  not  dare 
to  disobey  her  father's  orders." 

"  If  Gwennie  Lloyd  does  not  see  fit  to  accept  your 
offer  of  her  own  free  choice,  her  father's  orders  will  not 
stir  her  an  inch,"  said  Spike. 

"  John  !"  said  Lucas,  "  I  deserve  more  encouraging 
words  from  you.  Gwennie  treats  me  with  much  kind- 
ness, and  she  is  not  the  girl  to  throw  away  such  a  grand 
chance.  As  sure  as  you  and  I  are  at  the  Red  Lion  to- 
night, so  sure  shall  Gwennie  Lloyd  be  mine  !  On  that 
let  UP  drink." 

"  There  is  one  thing  in  your  favor,"  said  John.  "  I 
think  Gwennie  thinks  more  of  that  contemptible  shop 
boy  than  she  does  of  any  one  else,  but  the  blind  fool 
does  not  see  it.  To-morrow  morning  he  leaves  for 
Bala,  to  prepare  himself  for  Methodist  howling ;  and 
so  he  will  be  out  of  your  way.  I  have  long  watched 
for  a  good  chance  to  avenge  the  insults  he  and  Taliesin 
heaped  upon  me  while  at  school.  They  have  escaped 
me  thus  far,  but  my  time  will  yet  come." 

"  I  am  with  you  there,  every  time,  my  boy !"  said 
Lucas.  "  I  have  insults  to  avenge  as  well  as  yourself." 

Here  the  conversation  ended.  Lucas  started  for 
home,  and  Spike  remained  at  the  Inn.  The  night  was 


PARTING    AND    PLOTTING.  127 

somewhat  dark,  and  between  the  village  and  Druid's 
Grove,  Pugh  passed  some  one,  and  had  the  impression 
that  the  person  was  Llewelyn  Edwards.  Where  had 
he  been  ?  A  thought  struck  him,  and  the  reflection  was 
not  at  all  pleasant. 

The  intended  departure  of  Llewelyn  for  Bala  was 
well  understood.  The  time  also  was  well  knowia,  and 
on  that  morning  many  of  the  villagers  had  assembled 
at  and  around  the  "  shop  "  to  bid  him  good  bye.  Tears 
gathered  in  his  sister's  eyes,  but  under  those  tears  there 
were  feelings  of  joy,  chiefly  from  the  knowledge  of  how 
things  stood  between  her  brother  and  Gwennie  Lloyd. 
The  different  sects  showed  their  respects,  and  Mr. 
Rowlands,  the  rector  of  the  parish,  volunteered  to 
take  the  young  man  to  Baugor  in  his  carriage,  to. meet 
the  coach.  He  left  amid  a  shower  of  blessings,  while 
handkerchiefs  waved  as  long  as  he  was  in  sight. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A    QUESTION    AND    THE    ANSWEK. 

With  considerable  assurance,  Thomas  Lloyd  entered 
into  Gwennie's  room  on  an  errand  that  for  a  long  time 
had  been  uppermost  in  his  mind.  The  door  was  open. 
The  daughter  arose  and  with  a  smile  said : 

"  This  is  a  fine  morning,  papa ;  I  hope  that  you  are 
feeling  as  well  as  you  did  yesterday  T 

"I  feel  finely,"  said  he.  "Gwennie,  I  have  good 
news  to  tell  jou." 

"Have  you,  papa?"  said  the  daughter.  "Are  you 
sure  that  I  shall  regard  it  as  good  news  f ' 

"  "\Ve  shall  see  presently,"  said  Lloyd.  "  I  hope  that 
you  are  ready  to  admit  that  my  judgment  is  not  to  be 
despised." 

"  And  I  hope  that  my  papa  is  ready  to  admit  that 
what  one  person  may  consider  good  news,  may  not  be 
so  considered  by  another.  When  I  am  told  what  it  is, 
I  shall  be  my  own  judge,"  said  Gwennie. 

"  I  trust  that  there  will  be  no  occasion  for  us  to  dif- 
fer," said  the  father. 

"  Please  don't  look  so  grave,  papa  !"  said  the  maiden. 
"  Let  rue  hear  what  you  call  good  news." 

"  Well,"  said  the  father,  "you  are  about  to  be  offered 


A    QUESTION    AND    THE    ANSWER. 


129 


the  heart  and  hand  of  our  young  friend,  Lucas  Pugh. 
This  is  what  /  call  good  news.  This  grand  offer  will, 
of  course,  be  gladly  accepted." 

"When  Mr.  Pugh  himself  shall  be  ready  to  ask  me 
any  question  touching  that  matter,  I  shall  be  ready  to 
give  him  a  prompt  answer,"  said  Gwennie  in  a  firm  voice- 
"  He  will  not  be  kept  in  suspense,  for  even  one  minute. 
Papa,  I  hope  this  is  satisfactory." 

"  Gweunie,  the  manner  in  which  you  receive  this  news 
is  not  satisfactory!"  said  her  father  in  a  stern  voice. 
"  Let  me  give  you  fair  warniiig  that  my  wishes  in  this 
matter  are  not  to  be  thwarted.  Think  of  it  well !'' 

"  I  will  think  of  it  well,  papa,"  said  Gwennie. 

The  father  left  the  room  with  very  ill  grace :  pulling 
the  door  after  him  with  a  force  that  was  entirely  un- 
necessary. The  next  minute  his  voice  was  heard  on 
the  balcony,  crying — 

"  Robin  !  Robin  Jones !" 

"  Here  I  am,  master !"  cried  the  servant,  hastening  into 
the  imperious  presence. 

"Why  do  you  let  me  call  you  so  many  times,  you 
careless  fellow?"  said  Lloyd.  "Go  and  saddle  Dick, 
and  don't  be  all  day  about  it!%' 

Robin  Jones  hastened  to  the  stable.  At  this  time  his 
soliloquy  had  to  be  brief.  "  Just  as  I  feared !"  said  he, 
as  he  took  down  the  saddle.  "  Gentlemen,  the  Millen- 


130          •  LLANGOBA1TH. 

nium  is  closed  for  the  season.     This  is  what  I  call  '  short 
meter.'     Come  on,  Dick." 

The  master   jumped  into  the  saddle  and  was  soon 
out  of  sight. 


"Good  morning,  Llojd,"  said  Pugh.  "  It  is  fortu- 
nate that  you  have  found  us  both  at  horae.': 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  know  that  my  preference  for 
your  daughter  meets  your  approbation,"  said  Lucas. 

"It  is  the  realization  of  my  fondest  hopes,"  said 
Lloyd. 

"  The  manner  in  which  she  receives  me,"  said  he 
again,  "  means  more  than  common  civility." 

"  Gwennie  makes  no  undue  approaches,"  said  Lloyd. 
"  I  trust,  that  as  a  person  of  good  sense,  she  will  accept 
your  noble  and  generous  offer  " 

'"  Lloyd,  have  you  any  fears  in  regard  to  this  mat- 
ter ?"  asked  Evan  Pugh. 

"  In  the  end  all  will  be  well,"  was  the  answer.  "  What 
she  calls  her  '  moral  convictions,'  may  cause  her  to  hes- 
itate a  little,  but  when  the  offer  comes  In  a  proper  form 
from  the  lips  of  the  young  man  himself,  it  will  be  all 
right." 

"  That  will  be  attended  to  without  delay,"  said  the 
heir.  "I  swear  by  everything  that  is  holy  and  sacred, 
Gwennie  Lloyd  must  be  my  happy  bride." 


A    QUESTION   AND    THE   ANSWER.  131 

"  There,  Lloyd,''  said  Pugb,  "  didn't  I  tell  you  that 
he  was  a  *  chip  of  the  old  block  f  " 

"  Please  inform  your  daughter,  Mr.  Lloyd,"  said  Lu- 
cas, "  that  to-morrow  afternoon  I  wish  to  see  her  on 
particular  business." 

" I  will  gladly  inform  her,"  said  Lloyd,  "and  I  can 
assure  you  that  Gwennie  will  be  at  home  waiting  for 
you." 

After  some  further  conversation,  the  master  of  Dru- 
id's Grove  left.  He  reached  home  early  in  the  after- 
noon, in  a  state  of  mind  much  more  calm  than  when  he 
left. 

Soon  after  breakfast,  on  the  following  day,  the  father, 
full  of  his  favorite  theme,  entered  Gwennie's  room. 

"Gwennie,"  said  he,  ••  yesterday  I  was  instructed  by 
Mr.  Lucas  Pugh  to  inform  jou  that  to-day,  in  the  after- 
noon, he  wished  to  see  you  on  particular  business. 
You  will,  therefore,  receive  him  with  that  civility  due 
his  station." 

"You  may  be  sure,  papa,  that  I  will  do  so,"  said  the 
daughter  with  a  calmness  that  somewhat  puzzled  the 
father,  and  he  left. 

The  afternoon  came,  and  from  her  window  she  saw 
Pugh  on  a  fine  horse  nearing  the  house.  He  was  soon 
within  the  enclosure,  where  he  was  cordially  received 
by  Thomas  Lloyd.  The  young  man  had  evidently 
taken  all  pains  to  appear  attractive ;  and  if  judged 


132  LLANGOBAITH. 

by  his  hilarity  and  swaggering  style,  he  had  no  mis- 
givings in  regard  to  the  result.  Mr.  Lloyd  conducted 
him  to  the  spacious  parlor,  and  went  up  stairs  to  inform 
his  daughter. 

"  Tell  Mr.  Pugh,  papa,  that  I  will  be  down  in  a  few 
minute?,"  said  the  daughter. 

This  he  did,  and  immediately  left  the  premises. 

Quick  footsteps  were  heard  on  the  stairs,  and  the 
next  moment  Gwennie,  with  as  much  composure  as  she 
could  command,  entered  the  room. 

"  Good  afternoon,  Mr.  Pugh,"  said  she,  with  a  slight 
bow. 

"Good  afternoon,  Miss  Lloyd!''  replied  Lucas,  his 
face  clothed  in  smiles.  "  Upon  my  word,  you  look  per- 
fectly charming !  Of  course  you  expected  me  f ' 

"My  father  gave  me  your  verbal  message,"  said 
Gwennie,  "and  I  am  here  at  your  request.'' 

"  Thank  you  !"  said  the  young  man.  "  I  knew  that 
you  would  be  glad  to  see  me.'' 

"  In  meeting  you,  Mr.  Pugh,  I  do  no  more  than  I 
would  for  any  other  person,''  said  Gwennie. 

"That  is  noble  independence!"  said  Lucas,  striving 
to  appear  pleased.  "  I  believe  you  know  the  object  of 
this  visit?" 

"  I  shall  know  it  better  when  I  learn  it  from  your 
own  lips,"  was  her  reply. 

"  Miss  Lloyd,"  said  the  heir  of  Riverside,  with  some 


A    QUESTION   AND    THE   ANSWER.  133 

embarrassment,  "  ever  since  I  was  a  boy,  I  have  adored 
your  beautiful  face  and  graceful  form.  I  always  got 
angry  when  I  thought  other  boys  were  trying  to  win 
your  affection.  I  swore  years  ago  that  Gwennie  Lloyd 
would  be  my  wife.  Other  tine  ladies  have  tried  hard 
to  win  my  love.  In  my  opinion,  you  outshine  them  all. 
You  are  well  worthy  the  heir  of  Riverside.  I  am  here 
this  afternoon  to  ask  you  to  become  my  wife."  And 
Lucas  wiped  his  heated  brow  with  a  very  costly  hand- 
kerchief. 

"Mr.  Pugh,"  said  Gwennie,  in  a  firm  voice,  -I  shall 
never  be  your  wife." 

Pugh  looked  at  her  in  perfect  astonishment  for  a  few 
seconds,  and  then  said :  "  You  certainly  cannot  be  in 
earnest." 

"  I  never  was  more  so,"  was  her  answer. 

44  Am  I  to  understand  that  you  deliberately  refuse 
this  offer?"  asked  the  suitor,  with  a  degree  of  resent- 
ment. 

"  That  is  the  very  thing  I  wish  you  to  understand," 
was  the  reply. 

44  You  are  foolishly  throwing  away  a  valuable  chance," 
said  Pugh. 

"  I  throw  nothing  away  that  I  consider  of  the  least 
value,"  said  Miss  Lloyd. 

44  You  will  change  your  opinion  before  many  days," 
said  young  Pugh. 


134  LLANOOBAITH. 

"  Never  !"  said  the  maiden,  looking  him  in  the  face. 

"  But,  surely,  you  would  not  disregard  your  father's 
wishes  ?"  said  he. 

"I  would,  when  they  are  contrary  to  my  sense  of 
duty,"  was  the  reply. 

''But  why  am  I  thus  rejected1?"  asked  the  heir  of 
Riverside,  with  a  degree  of  importance. 

"My  reasons  to  me  are  sufficient  and  conclusive,"  said 
Gwennie. 

"  Miss  Lloyd,"  said  Pugh.  with  much  bitterness,  "  I 
came  here  for  a  purpose,  and  I  am  not  to  be  thrust 
aside.  I  ask  again,  why  am  I  thus  treated  ?" 

"  Then,  in  a  few  words,  I  will  gratify  you,"  said  the 
young  lady.  "  You  cannot  command  my  respect,  much 
less  my  affection.  I  look  upon  your  moral  character  as 
decidedly  bad.'' 

"You  will  yet  be  glad  to  embrace  what  you  now 
spurn,"  said  Lucas. 

"  Let  me  warn  you  against  that  delusion,"  said  Gwen- 
nie. "  Go  your  way,  Mr.  Pugh.  and  remember  that 
you  are  never  to  trouble  me  with  this  matter  again." 

"  Miss  Lloyd."  cried  Lucas,  losing  all  control  of  him- 
self,  •'  I  swear  by  all  the  powers  of  heaven  that  you 
must  be  mine !  Has  not  another,  more  in  harmony  with 
your  religious  notions,  worked  himself  into  your  graoeaf 
••  If  there  has,  it  is  simply  our  own  business,"  was 
the  answer. 


A    QOK8TION    AXD    THE    ANSWER.  185 

"  Miss  Gweuuie  Lloyd,"  said  Lucas  Pugh  with  a 
wicked  look,  Llewelyn  Edwards  shall  never  be  your 
husband !  I  have  my  settled  purpose,  and  \voe  be  to 
that  man  that  will  dare,  in  this  matter,  stand  between 
me  and  yourself." 

"  Those  are  the  words  of  a  malicious  coward,"  said 
Gweunie.  in  a  fearless  tone.  "  Llewelyn  Edwards  will 
dare  do  anything  that  he  considers  honorable,  and  so 
will  I.  To  me  your  presence  is  exceedingly  offensive, 
and  this  interview  must  close." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  heir  of  Glau'rafon,  pale  with 
ra«je,  was  riding  toward  home  at  a  fearful  rate. 


At  Riverside,  in  a  room  fantastically  furnished,  sat 
Evan  Pugh  and  his  gay  English  wife,  engaged  in  a 
lively  conversation.  The  subject  seemed  to  be  agreeable 
to  both,  and  the  master  and  mistress  appeared  to  good 
advantage.  It  was  said  by  those  who  professed  to 
know,  that  at  other  times  those  countenances  had  indi- 
cated angry  passions.  an:l  that  things  had  often  gone 
so  far  as  for  the  head  of  Evan  Pugh  to  be  made  a  tar- 
get for  a  certain  spry  little  woman  to  prove  the  accu- 
racy of  her  aim,  by  firing  at  it  a  loaded  China  teapot- 
If  such  pastimes  had  ever  been  indulged  in  within  the 
walls  of  that  mansion,  there  were  no  evidences  of  it 
now. 

"•  Aside  from  her  Methodistic  notions,   she  is  a  fine 


136  LLANGOBAITH. 

young  lady/'   said  Evan.      "  In  regard  to  her  beauty, 
there  can  be  but  one  opinion." 

"But,  Evan,"  said  Mrs.  Pugh  thoughtfully,  "is  it 
not  possible,  after  all,  that  she  will  stubbornly  refuse 
Lucas'  offer?" 

"  Moonshine  and  nonsense !"  cried  the  nusband  in  an 
elevated  voice.  '•  The  girl  is  no  fool,  and  sne  will  not 
throw  away  such  a  grand  opportunity." 

"That  is  the  common  sense  view  of  it,  Evan,"  said 
the  mistress,  "  but  girls  are  not  always  governed  by  it." 

"  Lloyd  is  governed  by  it,  and  that  will  answer  our 
purpose,"  said  Pugh.  "The  idea —  But  yonder  he 
comes !  Good  heavens,  how  he  runs  that  horse !  I  fear 
that  everything  is  not  pleasant." 

By  this  time  his  son  was  by  the  house.  His  face 
denoted  terrible  wrath,  and  while  a  servant  led  away 
the  panting  steed,  the  late  rider  joined  the  astonished 
parents.  He  threw  himself  into  a  chair  and  gave  vent 
to  his  feelings  in  a  plurality  of  sentences  too  vile  to  be 
chronicled. 

"  Be  calm  my  son !"  said  the  father  with  as  much  com- 
posure as  his  own  anger  would  permit.  "  Thomas 
Lloyd  will  subdue  her  stubborn  will." 

"  Never !"  cried  Lucas.  "  Words  have  passed  between 
us  that  leave  me  no  hope!  I  was  ordered  out  of  her 
presence,  while  her  lips  were  full  of  the  praise  of  that 
sanctimonious  shop  boy." 


A  QUESTION  AND  THE  ANSWER.  137 

"Shop  boy  !"  cried  the  father  in  evident  amazement. 
"That  penniless,  dissenting  ranter,  in  preference  to  the 
heir  of  Glan'rafon!" 

"I  am  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  shop  boy  is  her 
accepted  lover,"  said  Lucas,  wiping  his  face. 

Then  followed  from  the  lips  of  the  father  a  torrent 
of  oaths;  and  after  having  relieved  himself  thus,  he 
left  the  room,  while  the  mother  aud  son  remained  to- 
gether. 

"Lucas,  I  feel  this  insult  to  the  quick!"  said  the 
mother  with  compressed  lips  and  flashing  eyes  ;  "  and 
it  will  be  bitterly  avenged !  Let  us  swear  together,  on 
this  spot,  that  the  shop  boy  shall  never  be  her  hus- 
band!" 

"  Mother,  I  do  so  swear  !'*  said  the  son,  rising : 
"  Riverside  has  brains  enough  to  work  the  wires,  and  if 
we  need  safe  and  powerful  helps,  I  know  where  they 
can  be  found." 

The  interview  closed,  and  the  mother  and  son  went 
their  way  to  invent  hellish  plots  against  the  innocent. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A    COVERT    FBOM    THE    TEMPEST. 

Gwennie  was  in  her  room.  Before  her  stood  her 
father,  who  had  coine  in  rather  abruptly.  The  daugh- 
ter, ill  spite  of  her  resolution,  showed  a  degree  of  nerv- 
ousness. She  was  somewhat  pale,  and  no  wonder,  for 
she  was  well  aware  that  a  storm  was  about  to  pour  its 
fury  upon  her  head.  From  her  behavior,  her  father 
was  not  able  to  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  exact  situation. 
The  last  words  he  had  heard  from  his  daughter  had 
given  him  some  hope,  but  still  his  fears  predominated. 
He  would  soon  know,  and  he  was  prepared  for  the  dis- 
covery, whatever  might  be  its  nature. 

"Gwennie,  I  trust  that  your  interview  with  Mr. 
Pugh  was  pleasant,  and  that  his  presence  was  highly 
agreeable  to  you,"  said  the  father. 

"  No,  papa !  I  know  of  no  person  on  the  face  of  the 
whole  earth  whose  presence  to  me  is  so  offensive,"  said 
Gwennie,  in  a  low,  but  firm  voice. 

"And  you  rejected  his  offer?"  said  Lloyd,  with  a 
frown  on  his  countenance. 

"  Yes,  papa,  without  the  least  hesitation,"  said  Gwen- 
nie. 


A  COVERT  FROM  THE  TEMPEST.          139 

"  And  thus  you  have  discarded  iny  wishes,  and  dis- 
obeyed my  commands?"  said  the  father. 

"  Yes,  papa,"  said  Gwennie,  "  but  jl  have  a  dear 
mother  in  heaven  whose  wishes  I  have  not  disregarded/' 

"  None  of  your  Methodist  nonsense  !"  cried  her  father. 
"I  am  master  in  this  house,  and  my  wishes  must  be  re- 
spected. You  must  'undo  this  mischief,  repent  of  your 
folly,  and  let  me  invite  the  young  man  to  another  inter- 
view." 

"Papa,  I  know  that  you  are  master  in  this  house," 
said  Gwennie,  "  but  you  are  not  the  master  of  my 
conscience  and  religious  convictions.  Lucas  Pugh  and 
myself  have  had  our  first  and  last  interview.  No  influ- 
ence on  earth  can  change  my  mind.  I  am  of  proper 
age  to  act  for  myself,  and  it  is  not  within  the  power  of 
even  my  father  to  frighten  me  from  my  purpose." 

"  Those  daring  words,  unless  soon  retracted,  will  not 
go  unpunished ! "  said  Lloyd.  *'  For  years  I  have 
looked  forward  to  your  union  with  this  young  man. 
Your  foolish  Methodism  has  run  away  with  your  rea- 
son, and  you  have  madly  rejected  a  grand  offer." 

"  I  am  highly  pleased  with  my  action,  papa,"  said  the 
daughter.  "Mr.  Pugh  can  easily  find  a  lady  much 
more  in  harmony  with  the  moral  taste  and  the  domes- 
tic atmosphere  of  Riverside.  My  taste  runs  in  an  op- 
posite direction." 

"  So  I  see,"  said  the  father  with  a  sneer.     "  I  suspect 


140  LLANGOBAITH. 

that  that  bawling  dissenter,  Llewelyn  Edwards,  has  of 
late  worked  himself  into  your  graces.  J  warn  you, 
Gwennie  Lloyd,  %against  giving  encouragement  to  that 
religious  enthusiast,  who  cannot  command  one  hundred 
pounds." 

"  Llewelyn  commands  something  of  much  more  value 
than  an  hundred,  or  an  hundred  thousand  pounds ! " 
said  the  daughter  with  some  spirit.  "  His  blameless 
life,  piety,  amiability,  scholarship  and  splendid  talents 
command  the  universal  respect  of  the  community." 

"As  your  suitor,  let  him  never  dare  to  darken  my 
door ! "  said  Lloyd, 

"  In  that  capacity  he  will  never  darken  any  door,'* 
said  Gwennie  with  cneeks  aglow.  *'  Let  not  my  father 
speak  in  disdainful  terms  of  Llewelyn  Edwards  in  the 
presence  of  his  betrothed ! " 

"Betrothed,  eh?"  cried  the  father.  "Curses  on 
your  heads !  Is  this  the  reward  I  receive  for  bestow- 
ing upon  you  expensive  advantages?  You  have  ren- 
dered yourself  unworthy  of  my  protection,  and  unless 
you  renounce  your  crazy  purpose  and  do  my  bidding, 
you  must  leave  this  house.  I  give  you  two  weeks  to 
make  up  your  mind." 

"  You  are  very  indulgent,  papa  ! "  said  Gwennie  with 
a  smile.  "  Two  hours  will  do  just  as  well.  Be  it  then 
two  weeks." 


A   COVERT   FBOM   THE   TEMPEST.  141 

"What  I  say  is  not  an  idle  threat,"  said  the  father. 
I  fully  mean  it  all." 

"I  believe  you,  papa,"  said  Gweunie.  "and  I  am 
fully  prepared  for  the  emergency." 

Morris  Williams  lived  at  Carnarvon,  and  was  a  man 
highly  respected  on  account  of  his  upright  dealings 
and  deeds  of  charity.  For  years  he  had  been  engaged 
in  successful  merchandise,  and  was  the  possessor  of 
much  wealth.  About  three  years  before  this  he  had 
lost  a  most  amiable  wife,  and  was  left  a  childless  wid- 
ower. Soon  after  the  death  of  his  companion  he  left 
his  fine  mansion,  with  all  its  rich  adornments,  in  the 
care  of  a  person  who  would  well  see  that  every  thing 
was  kept  in  order,  and  took  rooms  at  the  "Goat  Inn," 
at  that  time  a  prominent  hotel  in  the  town. 

While  for  Gwennie,  Moms  William^  had  always 
cherished  a  strong  attachment,  his  nobleness  of  soul 
would  not  permit  him  to  entertain  very  favorable  opin- 
ions of  her  father.  When  his  sister  consented  to  be- 
come Lloyd's  wife,  he  was  much  grieved,  because  he 
saw  even  then  that  his  mind  was  avaricious. 

From  whom,  therefore,  in  this  emergency,  could 
Gwennie  naturally  expect  help  and  advice  but  from  her 
dear  "Uncle  Moms?"  She  sat  down  and  wrote  to 
him  a  long  letter,  reviewing  the  whole  situation.  It 
ended  thus : 

"And  now,  my  dear  uncle  Moms,  I  have  told  you  all. 


142  LLANGOBAITH. 

I  have  rejected  a  wicked,  swearing,  drinking  and  Sab- 
bath-breaking person,  with  abundance  of  gold,  and 
have  accepted  the  heart  and  hand  of  a  respectable, 
pious  and  scholarly  young  man  who  is  comparatively 
poor.  For  this  I  am  about  to  be  disowned  by  an  en- 
raged father.  I  am  sure  that  you  will  honor  my  judg- 
ment. But  oh !  my  dear  uncle,  where  shall  I  go  ?  My 
probation  at  Llwyn  y  Derwydd  will  close  on  the  25th. 
Your  own  loving  niece, 

GWENNIE  LLOYD." 

Morris  Williams,  on  his  way  from  his  place  of  busi- 
ness at  t  ie  close  of  the  day,  called  at  the  post  office, 
where,  as  usual,  a  number  of  letters  were  waiting  for 
him.  Without  even  looking  at  the  address,  he  put 
them  in  his  pocket,  walked  to  his  room  at  the  hotel, 
and  here  they  were  examined. 

"Ah ! "  said  he,  "  here  is  one  from  Llangobaith,  and 
from  Gwennie  at  that."  It  was  soon  opened.  The 
uncle's  countenance  while  reading  it  underwent  several 
changes.  He  began  with  a  smile  ;  then  came  astonish- 
ment, then  an  unmistakable  frown,  and  ending  again  in 
a  smile.  He  carefully  refolded  the  letter  and  put  it  in 
his  pocket.  He  then  rose  and  paced  his  room  in  si- 
lence, while  his  mind  was  powerfully  agitated.  At  last 
he  gave  utterance  to  his  thoughts  in  low  speech. 

"  Disown  her,  eh  ?  Disown  Gwennie,  the  pure-hearted 
and  accomplished  Girennie,  the  loving  daughter  of  my 
sister  Sarah !  Gwennie,  the  pride  of  Llangobaith,  and 


A  COVERT  FROM  THE  TEMPEST.          143 

the  pet  of  the  community !  Disown  her,  eh  ?  Oh !  Tom 
Lloyd,  at  last  you  have  reached  your  lowest  degrada- 
tion !  Yes,  Lucas  Pugh  has  money,  and  that  is  all  that 
Tom  admires.  Lucas  Pugh  for  Gwennie  !  An  nnyel 
put  into  the  bosom  of  a  swearing  tippler !  Of  course 
she  rejected  him,  and  she  clings  to  her  noble  Llewelyn, 
though  threatened  with  expulsion.  Noble  Gweunie! 
'  But  oh !  my  deal1  uncle,  where  shall  I  go  '  cries  my 
darling.  Thank  God  !  I  know  exactly  where  you  shall 

go-" 

At  once  he  sat  down  and  wrote  to  his  niece  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  DEAR  GWEXNIE  : 

Your  letter  has  created  in  my  mind  peculiar  emo- 
tions, I  will  not  indulge  in  harsh  language  against 
your  father.  I  fully  justify  your  action,  both  in  your 
choice  and  rejection.  From  what  I  know  of  Thomas 
Lloyd,  I  think  he  will  carry  out  his  mad  threat.  Be 
not  dismayed,  my  dear  Gwennie.  On  the  afternoon 
of  the  25th,  at  2  o'clock,  I  will  be  at  Druid's  Grove 
with  a  carriage.  Have  all  things  in  readiness  for  your 
departure.  Say  nothing  to  your  father  in  regard  to 
my  coming.  You  may  rest  assured  that.  Providence 
permitting,  I  will  be  there  at  that  hour.  My  house,  in 
which  I  have  not  lived  for  three  years,  will  be  in  per- 
fect order  to  receive  you.  This  letter  will  be  sent  in 
harmony  with  your  directions. 

Your  own 

UNCLE  MORRIS." 


144  LLANGOBAITH. 

The  two  weeks  probation  Lad  corne  to  an  end,  and 
the  25th  was  as  beautiful  a  day  as  ever  dawned  on  the 
vale  of  Llangobaith.  Gwennie,  wholly  unbeknown  to 
her  fether,  had  fully  completed  the  preparation  for  her 
exit.  During  the  two  weeks,  she  had  worn  a  cheerful 
appearance,  and  even  the  maid-servants  until  this  day, 
had  not  suspected  that  anything  was  wrong.  From 
her  easy  behavior,  the  father  was  inclined  to  think 
that  his  threatening  had  produced  the  desired  effect. 
With  her  cheerful  countenance,  the  uncle's  letter  had 
much  to  do. 

It  was  half-past  one  in  the  afternoon,  and  Gwennie 
was  in  her  room  making  mental  preparation  for  what 
she  knew  was  close  at  hand.  Her  father's  well-known 
footsteps  were  heard,  and  presently  he  was  in  the  room. 

"  Gwennie,"  said  he,  "  this  is  a  most  lovely  day,  and 
the  view  from  your  window  is  charming." 

"  It  is  indeed  delightful,"  was  her  reply,  "  and  I  have 
enjoyed  it  for  many  a  happy  year." 

"And  I  hope  you  will  enjoy  it  for  many  years  to 
come,"  said  the  father ;  "  if  not  from  that  window,  yet 
from  some  window  where  the  view  of  the  vale  of  Llan- 
gobaith will  be  equally  delightful.'' 

"  I  have  no  desire  to  change  this  window  for  any 
other,  at  least  for  many  years,  papa,  if  you  should  be 
pleased  to  have  me  remain." 

"You  know  the  conditions  I  gave  you,  and  I  trust 


A    COVERT    FROM    THE    TEMPEST.  145 

that,  like  a  sensible  girl,  you  have  concluded  to  comply 
with  them.  This  day  ends  the  two  weeks  withiii  which 
you  were  to  make  up  your  mind." 

"I  told  you  then,  papa,  that  the  period  was  altogether 
too  long,"  said  the  daughter.  "  Your  conditions  are  of 
such  a  nature  that  I  cannot  comply  with  them." 

"And  you  tell  me  that  to  my  face  again,  do  you  ?" 
said  the  father  in  a  stern  voice.  '•  Do  you  remember 
what  I  said  would  be  the  consequence  of  your  disobe- 
dience?" 

"Oh  yes,  papa!  I  remember  well  what  you  said.  I 
could  not  possibly  have  forgotten  that." 

"And  don't  you  believe  that  I  was  in  earnest  !"  was 
the  next  question. 

"You  were  certainly  in  earnest,  papa,  and  so  was  I," 
said  Gwennie. 

"And  I  fully  purpose  to  cany  out  my  threat,"  said 
the  father. 

"And  I  fully  purpose  to.  be  the  happy  wife  of  Llew- 
elyn Edwards,"  said  the  daughter. 

"  Now,  miss,  no  more  of  this  impudence  under  my 
roof.  Pick  up  what  belongs  to  you  and  get  ready  to 
leave  this  very  day !" 

"My  things  are  all  packed,  papa,  and  I  am  ready  to 
go,"  she  said. 

"  But  where  in  heaven's  name  are  you  going  ?"  asked 
Lloyd. 


146  LLAJJGOBAITH. 

"  That  certainly  cannot  concern  the  man  that  turns 
his  only  child  out  of  doors,"  said  Gwennie  with  much 
feeling. 

"  Conquer  your  stubbornness,  and  accept  the  hand 
of  Mr.  Pugh  with  my  blessing,"  said  Lloyd. 

"  I  have  accepted  the  hand  of  another,  whose  shoes 
Lucas  Pugh  is  not  worthy  to  carry.  I  receive  the 
blessing  of  God  and  the  smiles  of  my  sainted  mother," 
said  the  maiden. 

"Confound  your  religious  nonsense!''  said  Lloyd- 
"I  will  no  longer  listen  to  such  twaddle.  You  must 
leave  my — " 

Before  the  sentence  was  finished,  an  elegant  carriage 
drawn  by  two  spirited  horses,  came  into  the  yard,  right 
beneath  the  window  of  the  daughter's  room.  The 
driver  left  his  seat,  opened  the  carriage  door,  and  to 
the  utter  dismay  of  Thomas  Lloyd,  Morris  Williams 
appeared,  and  entered  the  house.  He  warmly  embraced 
his  niece,  and  paid  but  little  attention  to  the  master  of 
the  house. 

"  Well,  Tom,"  said  Moms,  "  I  have  heard,  by  the 
way,  that  you  have  a  disobedient  daughter." 

"  You  have  heard  the  truth,"  said  Lloyd. 

"And  I  have  heard,  also,  that  you  have  given  this 
disobedient  child  timely  warning  that  unless  she  would 
change  her  mind,  you  would  banish  her  from  your 
house." 


A   COVERT   FROM   THE   TEMPEST.  147 

"  That  is  the  correct  story,"  said  Lloyd. 

"Now,  Tom,  you  are  a  very  bad  specimen  of  hu- 
manity !  Gwennie  is  perfectly  right  in  rejecting  that 
rough,  brainless  booby,  and  she  acts  wisely  in  accept- 
ing the  hand  of  one  of  the  finest  young  men  in  North 
Wales.  And  for  this  she  is  disowned  by  her  father ! 
Shame  on  you,  Tom  Lloyd,"  said  Morris  Williams. 

"lam  not  to  be  thus  abused  in  my  own  house!" 
said  Lloyd.  "If  you  have  any  business  here,  you  had 
better  attend  to  it  and  leave." 

"  Gwennie,"  asked  Williams,  "  are  you  ready  ?'' 

"All  ready,  uncle,"  was  the  reply.  "  My  trunks  are 
up  stairs  " 

"Ned,"  said  the  uncle,  addressing  his  coachmanr 
"  go  with  this  lady  and  bring  down  her  trunks." 

This  was  done  in  a  few  minutes.  The  two  entered 
the  carriage,  the  door  was  closed,  and  at  a  rapid  rate 
they  were  on  their  way  toward  Carnarvon. 


The  next  meeting  of  Lucas  Pugh  and  John  Spike 
was  in  the  same  private  room  at  the  Red  Lion.  The 
countenance  of  the  former  had  undergone  a  change, 
but  not  for  the  better.  The  haughty  assurance  of  the 
last  meeting  had  disappeared  to  give  room  to  stormy 
passions  and  malignant  rage.  He  poured  out  a  violent 
stream  of  vile  language.  With  clenched  hands,  he 
vowed  vengeance  on  the  heads  of  very  innocent  per- 


148  LLANGOBAITH. 

sons.  His  companion  was  much  more  composed,  and 
was  secretly  well  pleased  with  the  way  things  were 
shaping.  Ever  since  he  had  left  school,  John  Spike 
had  wickedly  longed  for  an  opportunity  to  empty  his 
mean  revenge  on  the  heads  of  two  persons.  Had 
Lucas  realized  his  monstrous  anticipations  touching 
Gwennie  Lloyd,  the  "  shop  boy  "  would  Lave  soon  been 
dismissed  from  his  n4nd,  and  Spike  would  have  to 
bring  about  his  revenge  alone.  But  since  his  friend 
had  met  a  decided  repulse,  his  favored  time  seemed  to 
be  drawing  nigh ;  and  under  a  cover  of  pretended  sym- 
pathy, he  inwardly  laughed  at  Pugh's  calamity. 

"  Lucas,"  said  he,  "  things  have  turned  out  as  I 
feared  they  would,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  you  rip 
and  tear.  If  it  had  been  my  case,  I  presume  I  would 
have  gone  on  just  as  you  do.  But  this  bellowing  and 
frothing,  pounding  the  table  and  smashing  tumblers, 
are  not  the  best  things  to  do  under  the  circumstances. 
Now  stop  your  raving,  and  let  us  look  the  matter  over 
and  decide  upon  our  future  movements.  That  fellow 
has  been  plotting  against  you  for  years,  and  now  he 
thinks  the  job  is  finished.  I  know  that  you  have  too 
much  spirit  to  submit  tamely  to  such  an  outrage  as 
that." 

"  I  will  have  revenge  as  true  as  my  name  is  Pugh  !" 
said  the  rejected  Lucas,  trembling  with  anger.  "  My 
one  great  hope  is  blasted.  But,  John  Spike,  that  Llew- 


A   COVERT   FROM   THE   TEMPEST.  149 

elyn  Edwards  shall  never  be  the  husband  of  Gwennie 
Lloyd !" 

"That's  the  right  kind  of  talk  !"  said  Spike.  ifc  Give 
me  your  hand  on  that,  old  fellow !  Now  let  us  drink. 
Here  are  curses  and  bad  luck  to  Llewelyn  Edwards 
and  Taliesin  Roberts !"  and  their  glasses  were  emp- 
tied. 

" Lucas,"  continued  Spike,  "to  upset  their  calcula- 
tion requires  a  good  deal  of  ingenuity.  When  among 
these  Llangobaith  people,  we  must  hide  our  wrath  and 
keep  pur  mouths  closed.  Then  in  case  the  '  shop  boy  ' 
should  come  to  grief,  the  source  of  his  trouble  would 
not  be  suspected.  Lucas,  you  may  count  on  my  hearty 
assistance,  and  if  one  Spike  is  not  enough,  you  well 
know 'where  a  stronger  and  a  heavier  Spike  can  be 
found.  Ha,  ha!" 

"  My  mother  feels  this  insult,  and  is  fully  determined 
on  revenge,"  said  Lucas.  "She  will  gladly  stand  by 
us ;  and  when  money  is  needed,  she  knows  where  to 
find  it." 

There  in  that  little  drinking  parlor  those  two  de- 
praved wretches  remained  for  hours  plotting  mischief, 
and  if  some  of  their  measures  lacked  ingenuity,  they 
were  never  wanting  in  malice. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A    NIGHT   AT    THE    "  HAVOD." 

Although  Gwenuie  had  found  at  Carnarvon  a  sweet 
asylum,  and  in  her  uncle  a  most  affectionate  protector, 
yet  the  peculiarity  of  the  situation  rendered  her  at 
times  somewhat  despondent.  No  effort  on  the  part  of 
Morris  Williams  was  wanting  to  cheer  her  mind  and 
cause  her  days  to  pass  away  pleasautly.  With  this  in 
view,  and  from  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  held  Helen 
Edwards,  he  sent  his  carriage  to  Llangobaith  with  an 
earnest  request  to  the  young  lady,  with  the  consent  of 
her  father,  to  accompany  his  servant  back,  and  spend 
a  few  da3rs  with  Gwennie  at  Carnarvon.  This  being  in 
perfect  harmony  with  Miss  Edwards'  mind,  the  two 
maidens  were  soon  in  the  sweet  enjoyment  of  each 
other's  society. 

Among  the  warm  friends  of  Mr.  Williams  was  a 
family  living  in  a  farm-house,  a  few  miles  out  of  town. 
It  was  called  Hafod  (Havod).  This  household  was 
justly  celebrated  for  its  musical  talent.  It  consisted  of 
the  parents,  three  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  inter- 
ests of  the  farm  did  not  suffer  from  their  love  of  music. 
The  sons  were  ever  faithful  to  their  agricultural  duties, 
while  the  daughters  were  diligent  in  all  the  require- 


A   NIGHT    AT    THE    "  HAVOD.*'  151 

merits  of  the  home.  In  his  younger  years,  Evau  Hughes  ? 
the  father,  was  considered  the  best  singer  in  the  parish, 
while  Mary  Lewis,  his  wife,  who  still  retained  her 
maiden  name,  was  famous  for  the  purity  and  compass 
of  her  voice.  In  the  line  of  instrumental  music,  the 
father  had  aspired  to  nothing  higher  than  the  Jews- 
harp.  On  this  he  was  indeed  a  master,  and  his  celeb- 
rity was  extensive.  At  an  early  age  the  children,  one 
after  the  other,  had  given  unmistakable  evidence  of 
musical  genius,  and  in  this  they  were  encouraged  by 
their  parents.  Owen  played  the  harp.  William  the 
violin,  and  Henry  the  tiute ;  while  Sarah  and  Miriam 
were  content  with  their  fine  powers  as  vocalists.  Often- 
times the  good  music-loving  neighbors  would  visit  the 
old  mansion  for  an  hour  or  two  on  an  evening,  when 
they  would  always  find  a  hearty  welcome.  Occasion- 
ally, Evan  Hughes  would  invite  a  number  of  choice 
friends,  well  knowing  that  his  boys  and  girls  never 
failed  to  make  such  evening  gatherings  highly  enjoy- 
able. To  one  of  these  entertainments,  Morris  Williams 
had  received  a  most  cordial  invitation  from  the  head  of 
the  family.  "Come  without  fail,''  he  had  written,  ''and 
if  you  have  any  particular  friends  that  are  lovers  of 
music,  bring  them  with  you." 

"Girls,  are  you  lovers  of  instrumental  music?"  asked 
Morris  Williams  one  morning,  with  a  pleasant  smile. 

"Indeed  we  are,  uncle!1'  promptly  answered  Gweu- 


152  LLANGOBAITH. 

nie.  "At  Thrush  Grove  we  were  perfectly  charmed 
with  harp  melody,  and  I  long  to  hear  more." 

He  then  gave  them  a  brief  history  of  the  musical 
family  at  the  Havod,  and  read  to  them  the  pressing 
invitation,  remarking,  "  I  would  much  enjoy  such  a  mu- 
sical feast,  and  if  my  two  young  ladies  will  accompany 
me,  I  shall  be  glad  to  be  their  guide." 

"  We  shall  most  gladly  accept  your  kind  offer,"  said 
Helen,  "  not  only  for  the  sake  of  the  music,  but  it  will 
be  a  rich  treat  to  see  such  a  family." 

"  The  parents  are  of  the  old  genuine  Welsh  stamp," 
said  Mr.  Williams,  "  and  it  may  be  well  for  you  to  un- 
derstand the  situation  before  we  go.  They  have  well- 
furnished  rooms,  but  Evan  Hughes'  kingdom  is  in  the 
old  commodious  "  gegin,"  (kitchen).  Here  he  always 
entertains  his  friends,  and  here,  I  presume,  will  be  the 
entertainment  to-night." 

"To  me  it  will  be  all  the  better,"  said  Gweunie.  "  I 
am  sure  that  it  is  going  to  be  grand !" 

They  were  soon  on  their  way  to  the  Hafod,  and  after 
a  delightful  ride  they  reached  their  destination.  It 
was  a  large,  old-fashioned  farm-house.  A  great,  heavy 
oaken  door,  which  had  never  tasted  of  paint,  opened 
into  a  wide  hall,  on  the  left  of  which  was  the  large 
kitchen,  with  great,  closely-matched  slate  slabs  for  a 
floor.  At  the  farthest  end  of  this  room  was  a  large, 
open  chimney,  with  a  fire-place,  and  hearth  extensive 


.  A   NIGHT   AT   THE    "HAVOD."  153 

enough  to  seat  two  dozen  persons.  On  one  side  of 
this  old  "  gegin "  was  a  long  eating-table,  scrubbed 
into  perfect  whiteness.  Then  there  were  rows  of 
shelves,  on  which  were  placed  in  regular  order  a 
large  number  of  wooden  trenchers,  as  white  as  the 
before  mentioned  table.  A  little  farther  on  was  the  old 
Welsh  "  dressel."  This  was  of  oak,  black  with  age, 
and  highly  polished.  On  its  upper  part  the  pewter 
plates  shone  brightly  in  the  light  of  the  blazing  tire. 
There  were  abundance  of  oaken  chairs  and  three-legged 
stools.  Into  this  genial,  cheerful,  old  Welsh  farm 
kitchen,  our  friends  from  Carnarvon  were  ushered,  and 
received  by  the  family  with  such  a  .spontaneous  wel- 
come that  at  once  made  them  feel  perfectly  at  home. 

There  were  many  present,  and  ranging  in  ages  from 
childhood  to  old  age.  Soon  Owen  was  heard  tuning 
his  harp.  The  flute  was  the  standard  of  pitch.  Then 
Henry  put  his  violin  in  harmony  with  the  others. 

"  I  move  that  our  kind  host  Evan  Hughes  be  respect- 
fully asked  to  give  us  one  of  his  wonderful  Jewsharp 
solos,"  said  Thomas  Jones  of  Glan  ^lihyd. 

This  pleased  the  company,  and  as  Evan  Hughes  had 
no  objection,  he  took  out  of  its  case  the  ancient  instru- 
ment. 

"  You  are  very  kind,"  said  the  old  gentleman.  "  My 
poor  playing  will  take  but  little  of  your  time."  To  me 

there  are  sweet  and  peculiar  associations  in  the  tones  of 
10 


154  LLANOOBAITH. 

this  simple  instrument.  They  carry  me  back  to  the 
scenes  of  fifty  years  ago,  when  around  the  May  pole, 
the  lads  and  lasses  merrily  skipped  in  harmony  with  its 
vibrations.  There  are  but  few  of  us  left!  But  this  is 
no  time  for  sadness,  and  I  will  give  you  something 
lively."  And  so  he  did,  with  an  accuracy,  volume  and 
expression  that  was  truly  astonishing.  He  was  heartily 
cheered  by  all  the  strangers  present,  and  with  evident 
satisfaction  Evan  Hughes  put  his  "  ysturmant ''  in  its 
case. 

The  company  was  next  entertained  by  several  harp 
solos.  Owen  was  a  master  player,  and  felt  the  inspira- 
tion of  his  own  music.  Next  came  several  duetts  on  the 
harp  and  violin,  producing  a  fine  effect.  Then  the  three 
instruments  united  in  a  grand  chorus,  which  was  loudly 
cheered. 

The  order  was  now  changed  into  "  canu  penillion," 
(singing  verses),  that  feature  of  harp  and  vocal  melody 
to  which  the  reader  was  introduced  at  Thrush  Grove. 
There  were  many  present  aside  from  the  family,  who 
were  well  at  home  hi  this  scientific  branch.  The  two 
daughters  entered  heartily  into  this  feature,  their  voices 
beautifully  blending  with  the  harp  in  harmony  with 
the  technical  rules  of  k'  penillion ''  singing. 

After  this  there  was  a  season  of  story-telling.  There 
were  those  present  who  were  experts  in  this  rare  ac- 


A   NIGHT   AT   THE    "HAVOD."  155 

complishnient.      The  first  called  upon  was  Robert  Cyf- 
fiii,  the  weaver.     He  chose  for  his  subject — 

ROBIN  DDU  DDEWIN,  (Robin  the  black  magician.) 

'•  We  know  next  to  nothing  of  this  strange  man  ex- 
cept by  tradition.  He  was  believed  by  many  to  be  in 
possession  of  superhuman  knowledge.  He  made  such 
pretentious,  when  in  reality  his  success  was  only  the 
result  of  his  keen  penetration.  He  was  of  very  dark 
complexion,  and  this  was  the  reason  that  he  was  called 
'  Black  Robin.' 

The  wife  of  a  nobleman  in  South  Wales  lost  some 
very  valuable  pearls,  the  gift  of  a  departed  sister.  The 
palace  was  thoroughly  searched,  and  all  the  servants 
closely  examined,  but  all  without  avail.  The  conjurors 
and  witches  of  the  parish,  and  those  surrounding,  were 
consulted,  but  the  pearls  could  not  be  found.  At  last 
a  servant  with  suitable  conveyance  was  sent  to  North 
Wales  after  Black  Robin,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he 
stood  in  the  presence  of  the  nobleman. 

*  Robin  Ddu  Ddewin,'    said    the  master,    "  only  re- 
store to  us  the  pearls,  and  fifty  pounds  will  be  thy  re- 
ward.' 

'That  is  not  the  way  I  do  business,'  said  Robin. 
'In  all  probability  I  shall  find  the  lost  treasure :  but  I 
must  be  paid  for  my  services  whether  I  succeed  or  fail.' 

•  But  I  must  have  some  test  of    your  knowledge  be- 
fore I  can  promise  you  such  a  sum,''  said  the  gentleman. 


156  LLANGOBAITH. 

'Very  well,  bring  forward  your  test,'  said  the  black 
magician,  although  he  had  but  faint  hope  that  he  would 
be  able  to  stand  it. 

'You  may  now  leave,'  said  the  man  of  the  palace, 
'jReturn  to  this  room  in  half  an  hour.' 

In  the  magician's  absence,  the  nobleman  went  to 
another  part  of  the  palace  and  brought  to  the  room  a 
tame  robin  red  breast,  and  put  it  under  a  pan  on  the 
table,  and  waited  for  the  magician,  who  soon  made  his 
appearance. 

'  Now,'  said  the  master,  '  you  may  give  me  a  proof 
of  your  superior  powers  by  telling  what  is  upder  that 
pan.' 

The  black  pretender  saw  at  once  that  there  was  no 
hope  for  him,  and  said : 

'Ah,  you  have  caught  Robin  this  time.' 

'Correct!'  cried  the  nobleman,  clapping  his  hands 
with  delight.  '  It  is  a  robin !  I  no  longer  doubt  your 
superior  power."  Here  is  your  money,  and  now  go  in 
search  of  the  pearls.' 

Kobin  went  to  his  room  and  pondered  the  matter 
over.  He  was  well  persuaded  that  the  theft  was  com- 
mitted by  one  of  the  maid  servants. 

The  next  morning,  in  company  with  a  man-servant 
who  was  given  him  as  a  guide,  he  went  into  an  old 
church-yard  near  by  where  the  sexton  was  engaged  in 
digging  a  grave.  He  threw  up  a  skull.  Robin  in- 


A   NIGHT   AT   THE    "  HAVOD."  157 

stantly  picked  it  up,  extracted  all  the  teeth  and  put 
them  in  his  pocket.  The  servant  looked  on  in  horror ! 
They  returned  to  the  palace ;  Robin  to  his  room,  and 
the  servant  to  the  kitchen,  where  he  revealed  to  the 
maidens  the  skull  story,  to  which  they  listened  with  paljB 
countenances.  Soon  Robin  came  in,  looking  as  grave 
as  a  ghost,  and  spoke  : 

'To-night, at  9  o'clock,  let  all  the  servants  belonging 
to  this  palace  meet  me  on  this  spot.  Any  one  diso- 
beying this  order  will  suffer  punishment.  Remember 
the  hour!'  and  he  departed. 

At  the  appointed  time  the  servants,  from  the  lowest 
to  the  highest,  stood  in  the  solemn  presence  of  Robin 
Ddu  Ddewin. 

'Men  and  women/  said  he,  'hearken  ye  diligently 
to  my  speech!  I  am  about  to  call  three  legions  of 
spirits  to  assist  me  in  my  search  for  the  lost  pearls. 
To  the  guilty  one  this  will  be  a  terrible  night!  That 
person  will  be  dragged  from  the  palace  by  infuriated, 
invisible  goblins,  and  ground  to  powder.' 

They  trembled  in  his  presence,  for  fear  that  those 
terrible  goblins  might  perchance  seize  the  wrong  per- 
son. 

'  But,'  continued  Robin,  '  all  this  may  be  avoided  if 
the  pearls  are  brought  to  my  room  before  midnight, 
and  no  one  need  fear  that  I  shall  ever  say  a  word  in 


158  LLANGOBAITH, 

regard  to  the  guilty  person.    That  will  be  kept  a  secret 
for  ever.' 

He  then  went  to  his  room,  wondering  how  his 
scheme  would  succeed.  In  about  an  hour  his  door, 
which  was  not  locked,  was  very  gently  opened  a  few 
inches,  and  a  hand  appeared,  containing  paper.  Robin 
took  the  small  package,  the  hand  disappeared,  and  the 
door  was  gently  closed.  In  the  paper  were  found  the 
lost  pearls. 

Of  course,  the  gentleman  of  the  palace  knew  nothing 
of  Robin's  movements,  and  the  schemer  was  determined 
to  keep  his  promise  to  the  girl  sacred.  At  dead  of 
night  he  was  taxing  his  brains  as  to  how  he  should 
proceed  so  as  to  add  to  his  own  fame.  At  an  early 
hour  he  saw  from  his  room,  in  a  field  behiud  the  palace, 
a  number  of  geese.  He  secured  the  pearls  in  a  piece 
of  bread,  and  went  out.  He  selected  from  the  rest  a 
peculiar  looking  fowl,  threw  before  it  the  precious 
morsel,  which  was  immediately  picked  up  and  swal- 
lowed. 

On  returning  to  the  palace,  he  met  the  owner,  who 
said,  'Well,  magician,  how  about  the  pearls?' 

4  Come  out  with  me,'  said  Robin,  '  and  I  will  show 
you  where  your  treasure  is  kept.' 

They  both  went  into  the  field.  Robin,  pointing  to 
the  particular  bird,  said,  'There,  secure  that  goose; 
kill  it,  examine  it  and  find  the  pearls,' 


A   NIGHT   AT    THE    *'  HAVOD."  159 

Of  course  the  treasure  was  found.  The  lady  was 
overjoyed,  and  Robin  was  overwhelmed  with  kindness. 
No  suspicion  rested  on  any  of  the  servants.  The  wife 
easily  believed  that  they  were  dropped,  and  with  other 
sweepings  thrown  out  of  doors.  On  the  morning  of 
his  departure,  Robin  was  presented  with  a  splendid 
horse,  with  saddle  and  bridle,  on  which  he  rode  home 
with  fifty  pounds  in  his  pocket ;  and  that  is  my  story 
of  Robin  Ddu  Ddewin.'' 

The  story  was  well  received  and  applauded. 

The  next  called  upon  was  Thomas  Davies,  of  "Cefn,M 
who  said  that  he  would  give  them, 

ELLEN  OF  "  CAB  'R  MELWR." 

"A  great  while  ago,  in  the  vale  of  Llanrwst,  there 
lived  a  family,  consisting  of  father,  mother  and  one 
daughter,  on  a  farm  named  Cae  %r  Melwr.  Morgan  Jones 
was  considered  very  rich.  Ellen  was  a  beauty,  and  al- 
most idolized  by  her  parents.  In  one  of  the  little  cot- 
tages on  the  farm  lived  a  poor  widow  with  her  only 
child,  a  bright,  active  lad  they  called  Jack.  These  two 
children  played  together,  and  were  fond  of  each  other. 

Ellen  was  sent  to  a  select  school  at  Llanrwst,  and 
seeing  she  was  rather  timid,  the  father,  by  the  consent 
of  the  widow,  sent  Jack  to  a  free  school  at  the  same 
place,  in  order  to  be  a  companion  for  his  daughter  in 
going  and  coming.  Thus  things  remained  for  some 
two  years.  After  this  the  boy  was  employed  at  Cae  'r 


160  LLANOOBAITH. 

Melwr.  He  was  wonderfully  active  and  efficient  in 
everything  pertaining  to  farming ;  and  by  the  time  he 
was  twenty  years  of  age  he  was  the  '  hwsmonj  or  head 
servant  of  the  farm.  He  was  noted  for  his  intelligence 
and  fair  personal  appearance,  and  without  any  effort, 
had  made  a  very  favorable  impression  on  the  mind  of 
the  daughter. 

Ellen,  in  order  to  perfect  her  accomplishments,  was 
sent  to  England,  and  when  she  returned  at  the  end  of 
two  years,  she  found  that  Jack  was  the  most  compe- 
tent hwsmon  in  all  that  region,  and  she  looked  upon 
him  with  pride. 

The  people  began  to  whisper  that  something  beyond 
common  friendship  existed  between  Jack  and  Ellen, 
and  the  rumor  did  not  at  all  please  the  parents.  They 
thought  much  of  Jack,  but  it  would  not  do  for  their 
accomplished  daughter  to  marry  her  father's  head  ser- 
vant. No,  Ellen  must  marry  a  gentleman.  This  talk 
became  more  general,  and  the  father  was  perplexed. 

One  day,  at  Gwydir,  a  village  near  by,  Morgan  Jones 
met  a  gentleman  from  England,  who  had  spent  some 
time  in  the  vicinity.  This  English  farmer  begged  of 
Mr.  Jones  to  let  Jack  accompany  him  to  England  to 
superintend  his  farm ;  declaring  that  he  was  the  most 
promising  young  man  in  that  line  that  he  had  ever 
seen.  The  master  of  Cae  V  Melwr  was  very  unwilling 
to  part  with  his  head  servant ;  but,  after  all,  was  it  not 


A   NIGHT   AT   THE    *'  HAVOU/'  161 

the  best  thing  ?  It  would  end  this  courtship  business, 
if  there  was  anything  in  it.  He  mentioned  the  thing 
to  Jack,  and,  to  the  old  man's  astonishment,  the  ser- 
vant gladly  accepted  the  offer.  There  were  but  two  days 
to  prepare  for  the  journey.  His  mother  silently  wept, 
and  committed  her  boy  to  the  care  of  the  '  Father  of 
the  fatherless  and  the  Judge  of  the  widow/  The 
young  man's  heart  was  deeply  affected,  in  view  of  leav- 
ing his  mother,  and  the  other  one  that  was  more  deal- 
to  him  than  all  beside. 

Time  passed  away,  and  Jack  was  well  nigh  forgotten. 
except  by  his  mother,  and — who? 

At  the  end  of  some  four  years  after  Jack's  departure 
from  Wales,  there  came  to  Gwydir  on  a  pleasure  tour 
a  young  gentleman  from  England,  a  son  of  an  Earl. 
On  one  evening,  at  this  village,  there  was  a  grand  din- 
ner, and  the  surrounding  gentry  were  all  invited  :  and 
among  others  was  the  beautiful  heiress  of  Cae  'r  Melwr : 
and  she,  above  all  beside,  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  young  Englishman.  Before  the  festivities  were 
over,  he  had  fallen  over  head  and  ears  in  love.  This 
could  not  pass  unnoticed,  and  before  many  days  it  was 
whispered  among  the  neighbors  that  Ellen  of  Cae  'r 
Melwr  and  the  fine  gentleman  from  England  were  lov- 
ers. This  rumor  greatly  pleased  the  young  lady's  pa- 
rents. The  young  man  became  a  regular  visitor  at  their 
residence,  and  without  the  consent  of  the  daughter, 


162  IA.ANGOBAITH. 

and  against  her  protestation,  the  father  gave  the  young 
nobleman  to  understand  that  it  would  be  all  right; 
and  the  day  of  the  wedding  was  appointed.  The  son 
of  the  Earl  went  back  to  England,  in  order  to  make 
preparations  for  the  happy  event. 

On  the  day  before  the  wedding,  mounted  on  a  fine 
horse,  the  young  Englishman  with  several  servants 
started  from  Llangollen,  where  they  had  arrived  the  eve- 
ning before.  They  overtook  another  gentleman.  The 
young  bridegroom,  after  some  conversation,  asked  the 
stranger  how  far  he  was  going.  He  replied  by  saying 
that  he  was  going  to  Capel  Garmon.  'I  am  going  a 
very  little  farther,  and  on  a  most  delightful  business,' 
said  the  bridegroom.  He  was  quite  communicative  ; 
he  told  all,  and  lavished  upon  Ellen  Cae  'r  Melwr  super- 
lative praise.  They  reached  Capel  Garmon  soon  after 
dark.  Here  they  shook  hands  and  parted.  The  Eng- 
lishman pursued  his  way  toward  Gwydir,  while  the 
other  put  up  at  the  hotel  of  the  village,  where  they 
parted.  He  inquired  for  a  clergyman  of  the  church  of 
England.  The  rector  was  soon  in  his  presence,  and  for 
a  little  thne  they  conversed  about  different  subjects, 
among  them,  the  grand  wedding  expected  on  the  mor- 
row at  Cae  'r  Melwr. 

'  I  have  heard,'  said  the  parson  '  that  this  young  lady 
is  not  a  willing  party  to  this  engagement.  I  hope  how- 
ever that  this  is  not  true.' 


A   NIGHT   AT   THE    "  HAVOD."'  163 

•Mr.  Rector,'  said  our  friend,  'I  also  wish  to  be 
married  at  the  church  to-morrow  morning  before  day- 
light, for  which  service  I  will  pay  you  ten  pounds.' 

'It  will  be  somewhat  irregular,'  was  the  answer' 
'  but  seeing  it  is  a  pressing  case,  I  will  comply  with 
your  request.' 

The  rector  left  for  home.  At  a  late  hour  of  the 
night  our  gentleman  also  left,  and  after  an  absence  of 
about  one  hour,  returned  in  company  with  a  lady  close- 
ly veiled.  At  a  given  hour  he  went  out  the  second  time 
and  soon  reached  Cae  'r  Melwr.  He  knocked  vigorously 
at  the  door.  The  old  gentleman  rose  from  bed,  and 
soon  recognized  the  voice  of  his  old  servant  Jack. 

'  I  beg  pardon  for  disturbing  you  at  this  untimely 
hour,'  said  he,  'but  I  have  my  master's  daughter  at 
Capel  Garmon  and  we  are  to  be  married  there  at  the 
church  at  four  o'clock.  It  is  now  near  three.  Will 
you  come  with  me,  and  give  away  the  bride  to  your  old 
hwsmon  T 

'Heaven  bless  you,  Jack!  1  will  with  the  greatest 
pleasure!'  said  the  old  gentleman,  quickly  dressing 
himself.  *  I  know  you  are  worthy  of  her,  I  care  not  how 
good  she  is." 

On  they  went  toward  Capel  Garmon,  while  the  old 
gentleman  revealed  to  Jack  the  wedding  to  be  at  his 
own  house  on  that  day,  and  gave  him  a  pressing  invita- 
tion to  be  present  himself  with  his  new  English  wife. 


164  LLANOOBAITH. 

They  reached  the  hotel,  and  there  found  the  priest  and 
the  parish  clerk.  They  soon  started  for  the  church. 
For  the  bride's  sake  the  ceremony  was  in  English.  It 
was  over,  and  the  twain  were  made  '  husband  and  wife 
together.'  The  old  gentleman  said  that  he  must  hasten 
home  to  Cae  V  Melwf,  and  again  enjoined  on  the  young 
pair  to  be  present  at  the  wedding. 

'  Jack  has  a  splendid  wife,'  said  Morgan  Jones,  after 
he  went  home.  It  was  rather  dark,  and  I  did  not 
really  see  her  face.  But  only  think  of  it,  she  gave  me 
a  hearty  kiss  at  the  church  door  when  we  parted  !  You 
will  see  her  yourself  before  long.' 

At  Cae  'r  Melwr  on  that  early  morning  they  were  all 
busy.  It  was  high  time  for  Ellen  to  be  up,  but  she  did 
not  appear.  They  waited  long  and  listened,  but  her 
footsteps  were  not  heard  above  stairs.  The  bride's 
maids  had  come ;  six  of  them,  as  fair  as  the  dawn. 
They  went  into  her  chamber,  but  she  was  not  there ! 
All  were  astonished.  Some  shed  silent  tears,  others 
sobbed  aloud,  while  the  parents  sat  dumb. 

'  "Well,1  said  the  old  gentleman  at  last,  '  I  now  see 
how  it  is !  Yes,  I  now  see  exactly  how  it  is  !  As  sure 
as  my  name  is  Morgan  Jones,  with  my  own  tongue 
and  with  my  own  lips,  this  morning,  at  the  church  at 
Capel  Garmon,  I  gave  my  daughter  away  to  Jack!" 

'Never  mind!  never  mind!'  cried  the  old  lady,  jump- 
ing to  her  feet,  '  let  us  thank  the  Lord  that  it  is  no 


A   NIGHT   AT   THE    "  HAVOD."  165 

worse !  If  she  didn't  get  the  son  of  an  Earl,  she  got  a 
grand  specimen  of  a  MAN!' 

The  couple  was  sent  for,  and  received  a  hearty  wel- 
come home.  On  the  part  of  the  guests,  the  festivities 
were  ten  times  more  joyful  than  they  would  have  been 
if  Ellen  had  wedded  the  gentleman  from  England. 
The  young  pair  led  a  happy  life  at  Cae  'r  Melwr,  and 
Morgan  Jones  never  regretted  his  work  on  that  early 
morning,  in  giving  away  his  only  child  to  his  former 
faithful  servant." 

"Good!"  cried  Evan  Hughes,  clapping  his  hands. 
"  Now,  boys,  give  us,  in  chorus  together,  '  The  March 
of  the  Men  of  Harlech.'  Play  with  a  will !"  No  sooner 
were  the  words  spoken,  than  the  walls  of  that  old 
"gegin"  rung  with  the  sound  of  that  famous  Welsh 
melody. 

In  less  than  five  minutes  that  long  table  was  set  with 
the  richest  dainties  the  farm  could  produce,  and  a  merry 
company  partook  of  a  rich  repast. 

At  somewhat  of  a  late  hour  the  company  from  Car- 
narvon started  for  home.  The  evening  was  charming, 
and  the  maidens  declared,  again  and  again,  that  never 
would  they  forget  the  genuine  pleasure  they  expe- 
rienced on  that  night  at  the  "  Havod." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MISS    THOMAS    LOSES   HER    WATCH. 

Llewelyn,  at  the  Institute,  was  progressing  finely. 
Among  the  students  he  was  already  a  favorite,  and 
much  respected  by  the  community  at  large.  On  sev- 
eral occasions  he  had  preached  at  the  town  with  great 
acceptability.  In  the  country  around,  wherever  he 
spoke,  the  chapels  were  always  filled  with  delighted 
hearers. 

When  not  at  the  school  building,  he  would  often 
retire  with  his  books  to  some  favorite  retreat  on  the 
shore  of  "Llyn  Tegid"  (Tegid  Lake),  which  has  al- 
ways been  one  of  the  attractions  of  this  inland  town. 

During  one  of  these  out-of-door  enjoyments,  a  gen- 
tleman of  very  pleasing  exterior  slowly  came  up  in 
front  of  his  bower,  and  politely  bowed.  A  pleasing 
smile  rested  on  his  countenance,  while  he  said — 

"  Pardon  me,  sir ;  I  fear  that  I  have  disturbed  the 
sweet  quietness  of  your  study.  Being  a  stranger,  I 
hardly  knew  which  \\ay  I  was  wandering." 

"  Your  apology  is  needless,"  said  Llewelyn.  "  These 
grounds  are  free  to  all,  and  strangers  are  specially  in- 
vited to  avail  themselves  of  their  charms." 

"  I  have  traveled  quite  extensively."  said   the  straii- 


MISS    THOMAS    LOSES    HER    WATCH.  167 

ger,  "and  I  have  gazed  on  fine  scenery;  but  I  have 
seldom  seen  a  spot  surpassing  this  in  quiet  beauty  and 
loveliness." 

"  This  is  the  universal  testimony  of  those  who  visit 
Bala."  said  Llewelyn.  u  How  long  have  you  been 
here  ?" 

"I  arrived  last  evening, '  was  the  reply.  "My  health 
is  not  the  best  I  have  thought  that  a  few  weeks  spent 
in  this  inviting  portion  of  Merionethshire  might  add 
to  my  physical  strength.  My  mother  is  dead.  My 
father  and  sister  at  present  live  in  Cardiff.  There  are 
but  two  children  of  us,  Helen  and  myself:  and  when 
we  »,re  home  together,  our  cup  of  happiness  overflows." 
Llewelyn  was  touched  by  this  simple  statement  of 
the  stranger,  whose  family  relation  was  so  much  like 
his  own  ;  and  at  once  he  felt  a  strange  nearness  to  the 
young  man  who  had  lost  a  mother,  and  had  a  beloved 
sister  Helen. 

u  I  suppose  you  romain  at  the  hotel,"  said  Llew- 
elyn. 

"  My  trunks  are  there  at  present,"  was  the  reply  : 
"  but  I  would  much  prefer  a  room  in  a  respectable 
boarding-house.  The  noise  and  confusion  connected 
with  an  inn  does  not  at  all  suit  my  quiet  disposition." 
"  I  have  a  most  excellent  boarding  place,  kept  by  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Ellis,  a  gentleman  and  lady  of  undoubted  re- 
spectability,'' said  Llewelyn :  "  and  I  know  there  is  a 


168  .  LLASGOBAITH. 

commodious  room  adjoining  mine  that  is  not  occupied, 
which,  if  it  would  suit,  you  might  secure.'' 

"  I  feel  greatly  relieved,"  said  the  stranger,  "  and  I 
must  see  Mrs.  Ellis  at  once.  If  you  will  assist  me  in 
this  matter  you  will  place  me  under  lasting  obligation/' 

"  I  will  do  it  with  much  pleasure,''  said  Edwards. 
"  We  can  attend  to  it  at  once." 

44 1  gratefully  accept  your  kindness,"  was  the  reply  ; 
and  they  slowly  walked  together  toward  the  town. 

The  matter  was  soon  settled  to  the  satisfaction  of  all 
concerned ;  and  Mr.  John  Jenkins  was  numbered 
among  the  boarders  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Owen  Ellis. 

For  Llewelyn  the  stranger  seemed  to  have  particu- 
lar regard.  He  was  much  in  his  society.  This,  on  the 
part  of  the  student,  was  fully  reciprocated.  They  en- 
tered freely  into  each  other's  rooms,  and  were  soon  fast 
friends.  In  the  art  of  conversing,  Mr.  Jenkins  was  very 
happy.  His  knowledge  of  common  events  was  credita- 
ble. On  weighty  questions  he  conversed  but  little,  ei- 
ther from  a  want  of  information  or  a  lack  of  taste.  The 
boarders  in  all  numbered  about  a  dozen,  and  in  the 
opinion  of  each  he  was  a  young  man  of  very  pleasing 
manners. 

Among  these  was  a  young  lady,  amiable  accom- 
plished, and  possessing  much  wealth,  by  the  name  of 
Martha  Thomas,  who  seemed  to  regard  Mr.  Jenkins 
with  much  favor.  He  was  often  admitted  into  her  par- 


MISS   THOMAS   LOSES   HER   WATCH.  169 

lor,  and  sometimes  went  with  her  to  chapel.  Thus 
some  weeks  passed,  while  the  gentleman  from  South 
Wales  continued  to  rise  in  the  estimation  of  all  the 
boarders.  He  would  often  receive  letters  from  his  sis- 
ter, breathing  pure  affection.  Pails  of  these  he  would 
at  times  read  to  the  company,  while  his  voicfc  trembled 
with  emotions  of  love. 

One  day  Miss  Thomas  made  the  startling  announce- 
ment that  her  valuable  gold  watch  was  missing — that 
she  had  left  it  on  her  desk  in  the  morning,  and  that 
some  one  had  stolen  it.  She  could  not  believe  for  a 
moment  that  it  was  anyone  with  whom  she  was  ac- 
quainted. It  was  a  gift  from  a  dear  friend,  and  she 
would  rather  have  lost  an  hundred  pounds.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Ellis  were  almost  distracted.  The  honor  of  the 
house  was  at  stake.  Never  before  had  anything  of  such 
a  nature  happened  beneath  their  roof.  The  boarders 
and  lodgers  looked  at  each  other  in  mute  astonishment. 
The  proprietors  insisted  that  a  thorough  search  must 
be  made  at  once  by  a  proper  officer  of  the  law.  To  this 
no  one  objected,  except  Miss  Thomas,  who  said  it  was 
of  no  use ;  that  she  was  perfectly  satisfied  that  a  stran- 
ger had  slyly  entered  the  house,  found  the  watch,  and 
had  departed  for  parts  unknown.  But  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ellis  insisted ;  two  officers  with  a  search  warrant  were 
soon  secured,  and  all  were  required  to  submit  to  the 
searching  process.  Notwithstanding  Mrs.  Ellis'  agita- 


170  LLANGOBAITH. 

tion,  the  rest  of  the  company,  Miss  Thomas  included, 
could  hardly  abstain  from  bursts  of  merriment  iu  view 
of  a  process  that  seemed  to  border  on  the  ludicrous. 

Trunk  after  trunk  was  examined,  but  to  no  purpose. 
Llewelyn's  was  the  last  to  undergo  the  search. 

"  Mr.  Edwards,  please  unlock  your  trunk,1'  said  one 
Of  the  officers,  smiling  as  he  spoke. 

"  With  pleasure,  sir,"  said  the  young  man. 

"Mr.  Edwards,"  said  Miss  Thomas,  "I  am  thor- 
oughly ashamed  of  this  whole  proceeding ;  and  you 
must  remember  that  I  am  not  responsible  for  it." 

"I  would  as  soon  suspect  the  angel  Gabriel!"  said 
Mr.  Jenkins  with  much  feeling. 

"  Such  language  is  not  becoming  !"  said  Llewelyn  ; 
"  proceed,  Mr.  Officer." 

Article  after  article  was  removed,  until  the  bottom  of 
the  trunk  was  reached,  and  there,  carefully  folded  in  a 
piece  of  paper,  was  something  that  took  the  officer's 
particular  attention.  He  took  hold  of  it  with  evident 
embarrassment,  while  his  hand  trembled.  He  opened 
it  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  company,  and  there  was 
a  gold  watch ! 

"  Mr.  Edwards,"  said  the  officer,  "  do  you  claim  this 
watch  as  your  rightful  property?" 

"  I  do  not,  sir !"  said  the  young  man,  "  and  God  is 
my  witness  that  I  have  no  knowledge  of  the  manner 
in  which  it  found  its  way  to  my  trunk." 


MISS   THOMAS   LOSES   HER    WATCH.  171 

"Miss  Thomas,"  asked  the  officer,  "is  this  your 
watch  ?'' 

"  I  am  sure  that  the  watch  is  mine,  and  I  am  just  as 
sure  that  Mr.  Edwards  never  touched  it,"  said  Miss 
thomas. 

Above  all  the  rest  Mr.  Jenkins  was  affected.  He  was 
moved  even  t:>  tears  ;  while  in  words  eloquent  with  in- 
dignation he  cried  out,  "  This  is  a  devilish  plot  to  in- 
jure as  pure-hearted  a  young  man  as  ever  breathed  the 
air  of  Bala  !  Ho,  ho  !  the  plot  is  as  silly  and  clumsy 
as  it  is  malicious  ;  for  who  out  of  Bedlam  will  believe 
that  Llewelyn  Edwards  is  a  thief  ?v 

"  Miss  Thomas,"  said  the  officer.  '•  shall  I  take  Mr. 
Edwards  in  custody  ?" 

"  May  Heaven  forbid  !"  cried  the  young  lady.  ••  This 
matter  is  either  a  cruel  joke  or  a  villainous  plot.  I 
have  recovered  my  treasure,  and  am  satisfied." 

"  Let  this  matter  go  no  further,"  said  Mr.  Jenkins. 
"  Mr.  Edwards  is  above  suspicion  ;  and  let  him  be  as- 
sured that  he  never  stood  higher  in  our  estimation  than 
he  does  this  moment/' 

And  thus  it  ended.  The  more  Llewelyn  thought  of 
the  matter,  the  more  it  became  involved  in  mystery. 
He  revealed  the  thing  to  the  officers  of  the  school,  and 
they  assured  him  that  he  had  their  unbounded  confi- 
dence. He  called  the  attention  of  the  church  officials 
to  the  same  matter,  and  without  a  dissenting  voice 


172  LLANGOBAITH. 

they  gave  him  the  same  assurance.      By  this  he  was 
greatly  relieved. 

At  that  day  there  was  in  Carnarvon  one  weekly  pa- 
per, The  Carnarvon  Herald,  in  which  was  found  cor- 
respondence from  various  parts  of  North  Wales.  In 
about  two  weeks  after  this  watch  trouble,  the  following 
appeared  in  the  columns  of  that  paper  as  an  item  of 
news  from  Bala : 

"A   THEOLOGICAL   STUDENT   COMES    TO    GRIEF. 

The  other  day  our  usually  quiet  town  was  thrown 
into  intense  excitement  by  a  case  of  theft,  attended  by 
peculiar  circumstances.  A  very  worthy  young  lady  by 
the  name  of  Thomas,  remaining  at  the  well  known 
boarding-house  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Owen  Ellis,  lost  a  val- 
uable gold  watch.  Two  officers  of  the  law  made  a 
thorough  search,  and  the  missing  watch  was  found  at 
the  bottom  of  Llewelyn  Edwards'  trunk.  This  young 
man  is  from  Uangobaith,  near  Bangor,  a  candidate  for 
the  ministry.  Through  the  influence  of  friends  the 
thing  has  been  measurably  hushed  up.  It  is  under- 
stood that  Miss  Thomas  will  not  prosecute.  Young 
Edwards  heretofore  had  sustained  a  good  character, 
and  it  is  lamentable  that  by  yielding  to  temptation  he 
has  blasted  his  reputation,  and  caused  his  friends  to 
hang  down  their  heads  in  shame.  SILAS  EVANS." 

Gwennie's  heart  was  greatly  cheered  by  the  presence 
of  her  fast  friend  Helen  Edwards.  Much  of  their  time 
•was  spent  in  confidential  chats  touching  the  future,  and 


MISS    THOMAS    LOSES   HER    WATCH.  173 

they  were  happy  in  each  other's  love.  They  would  of- 
ten loiter  amid  the  magnificent  ruins  of  Carnarvon  cas- 
tle, and  converse  of  those  years  gone  by  when  their  an- 
cestors so  nobly  fought  against  foreign  invaders  and 
home  oppressors.  Together  they  would  climb  those 
winding  stairs,  and  stand  on  the  giddy  heights  of  "  Twr 
yr  Eryr''  (Eagle  Tower),  from  where  they  had  a  magni- 
ficent view  of  all  the  surrounding  country.  At  the 
close  of  day,  arm  in  arm,  they  would  promenade  the 
length  of  that  beautiful  quay,  and  view  the  harbor  with 
its  many  sails  of  commerce.  From  one  of  these  de- 
lightful rambles  they  had  just  returned.  They  found 
Moms  Williams  in  his  usual  seat,  looking  with  much 
solemnity  at  the  Carnarvon  Herald. 

"Why.  my  dear  uncle  Moms,"  said  Gwennie.  " you 
look  as  if  something  serious  had  attracted  your  atten- 
tion." 

"It  is  serious  enough,  my  dear!"  said  her  uncle. 

Mr.  Williams  would  occasionally  indulge  in  a  rich 
joke,  and  Gwennie  at  first  thought  that  this  was  the 
nature  of  his  solemnity.  But  looking  at  him  again, 
and  noticing  a  certain  unsteadiness  in  his  voice,  she 
made  up  her  mind  that  her  uncle  was  in  earnest. 

"What  is  it,  my  dear  uncle?"  she  asked  in  a  low 
voice. 

"  It  is  something  touching  Llewelyn,"  he  replied. 
•"  He  is  neither  dead  nor  sick,  and  is  the  same  noble  man 


174  LLA3JGOBAITH. 

that  he  ever  was.  But  some  infernal  agencies  are  at 
work  to  destroy  his  character,  and  they  try  to  make  the 
people  believe  that  he  is  a  thief !" 

"Ho,  ho !"  cried  the  girls,  in  a  mixture  of  weeping 
and  laughing,  while  Gwennie  continued,  "  My  fright 
is  over !  Llewelyn  is  safe  !" 

"  Heaven  bless  my  dear  brother !"  said  Helen. 

"  You  have  behaved  nobly,"  said  Mr.  Williams.  "I 
will  now  read  the  strange  paragraph,  which  in  part  may 
be  true.  It  has  been  written  by  some  one  who  desires 
Llewelyn's  ruin." 

After  reading  the  article,  he  said  again,  "  Let  us  wait 
one  week,  and  we  shall  have  something  from  Bala  that 
will  show  the  matter  in  its  true  light." 

The  week  was  soon  past.  The  Herald  was  again 
out,  and  the  best  brains  of  Bala  had  met  for  the  vindi- 
cation of  young  Edwards. 

"A    VILE   SLANDER. 

Mr.  Editor — In  your  last  number  you  published  an 
item  from  this  town  that  does  cruel  injustice  to  a  most 
worthy  young  man.  The  paragraph  is  partly  true,  but 
it  was  conceived  in  malice,  and  is  the  production  of 
some  lying  villain.  The  watch  was  taken,  and  it  was 
found  in  Mr.  Edwards'  trunk ;  but  no  one  believes  that 
it  was  put  there  by  the  young  student.  Tour  corre- 
spondent signs  his  name  '  Silas  Evans ;'  we  have  no 
such  a  name  in  Bala.  When  he  wrote  of  Mr.  Edwards 
'yielding  to  temptation,'  he  knew  that  he  was  penning  a 


MISS    THOMAS   LOSES   HER    WATCH.  175 

falsehood.  Miss  Thomas  never  thought  for  a  moment 
that  Mr.  Edwards  was  guilty.  The  authorities  of  the 
school  and  the  officials  of  the  church  have  passed 
resolutions  of  entire  confidence  in  the  young  man.  The 
vile  plot  did  not  originate  at  this  place.  Let  not  the 
friends  of  Mr.  Edwards  be  disturbed  in  the  least.  Here 
he  is  respected  by  all. 

In  behalf  of  the  Theological  Institute, 

THOMAS  LEWIS. 

In  behalf  of  the  Calviuistic  Church, 

ROBERT  GRIFFITHS." 

In  reading  this  article,  Morris  Williams  several 
times  had  to  surrender  to  his  emotions,  while  the  young 
ladies  shed  tears  of  joy  and  affection.  The  faithful  un- 
cle procured  twenty  copies  of  the  Herald  for  distribu- 
tion in  the  vicinity  of  Llangobaith. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE   RE8CTTE   ON    "  LLYN    TEOID." 

Thomas  Lloyd,  after  the  departure  of  Gwennie.  sat 
down  and  endeavored  to  comprehend  the  situation. 
She  was  actually  gone  !  Yes,  Gwennie  had  gone,  and  in 
spite  of  his  unbending  will,  he  felt  a  choking  sensation, 
and  faintly  heard  the  voice  of  a  long  ago  banished  con- 
science crying  as  if  from  far  away,  in  distinct  accents, 
"THOMAS  LLOYD,  YOU  ARE  WRONG  !"  That  voice  he  dread- 
ed, and  from  that  empty  room  he  hastened  to  another  of 
much  smaller  dimensions,  poured  into  a  glass  a  liberal 
quantity  of  some  reviving  liquid,  and  thus,  for  that  day 
at  least,  he  was  well  delivered  from  the  accusation  of 
the  troublesome  meddler. 

"  Jane,"  said  Lloyd  to  one  of  his  most  responsible 
maid-servants,  in  about  two  hours  after  Gwennie's  de- 
parture, "for  a  while  I  wish  you  to  take  the  responsi- 
bility of  housekeeping.  Gwennie  is  gone." 

"Yes  sir,  I  saw  her  going,"  said  Jane,  "and  without 
wishing  it,  sir,  I  heard  some  of  the  conversation.  You 
have  turned  my  deal-  young  mistress  from  her  own 
home  because  she  was  faithful  to  her  true  lover.  And 
now,  sir,  that  Miss  Gwennie  is  gone,  there  is  no  pleas- 
ure for  me  in  this  house,  and  I  am  going  too." 


THE   RESCUE   ON    "  I.LYN    TEGID."  177 

"  Nonsense,  Jane !  That  will  never  do,''  said  Lloyd, 
curbing  his  feelings.  "  She  dared  my  authority,  and  I 
sent  her  away." 

"It  is  not  for  me  to  dispute  with  my  master,''  said 
the  servant,  "but  you  commanded  your  daughter  to 
marry  a  very  bad  man.  He  has  plenty  of  money,  but 
he  swears,  and  breaks  the  Sabbath,  and  gets  drunk. 
And  for  refusing  to  be  the  wife  of  that  bad  man,  you 
have  turned  Miss  Gwennie,  who  is  the  very  image  of 
her  mother,  out  of  doors!  No,  this  house  is  no  longer  a 
place  for  Jane  Lewis,  and  I  cannot  stay." 

"  Jane,  you  are  both  foolish  and  saucy."  said  Lloyd. 
"  You  are  a  good  servant,  and  if  you  want  higher  wages, 
you  can  have  it ;  but  you  must  not  leave  me.'' 

"I  find  no  fault  with  my  wages,  sir,"  said  Jane,  "but 
I  will  not  be  the  housekeeper  of  a  man  who  has  so 
treated  my  young  mistress.  If  you  can  get  your  sister 
Grace  or  some  other  lady  relative  to  come  and  take 
charge  of  things,  I  will  remain  your  servant  for  a  while 
longer." 

"  Jane,  you  have  put  a  new  idea  into  my  head,"  said 
Lloyd,  while  his  countenance  brightened.  u  This  very 
day  I  will  write  to  Grace.  If  she  comes,  you  need  not 
tell  her  anything  about  this  trouble.  I  can  do  that  my- 
self." 

Here  the  conversation  ended.  Jane  went  her  way, 
wondering  at  her  boldness,  and  Thomas  Lloyd  hastened 
to  write  a  letter. 


178  LLANGOBAITH. 

About  two  weeks  had  passed  since  the  stolen  watch 
excitement  at  Bala.  Llewelyn  was  a  favorite  at  school, 
in  the  church  and  among  the  citizens ;  but  no  one 
seemed  to  enjoy  his  society  more  than  did  Mr.  Jenkins, 
who  still  remained  in  town,  and  was  very  attentive  to 
Miss  Thomas. 

"Mr.  Edwards,"  said  Mr.  Jenkins  one  day,  "I  envy 
the  ease  with  which  you  can  manage  a  boat." 

"  In  that  I  had  some  experience  years  ago,"  said  Mr. 
Edwards.  "  Since  I  came  to  Bala  I  have  taken  much 
pleasure  on  the  lake." 

"  In  that  line  I  never  had  any  experience,  and  I  am 
exceedingly  timid  in  regard  to  the  water,"  said  Mr. 
Jenkins.  "  I  am  almost  ashamed  to  confess  it.  And  yet 
I  have  a  strong  desire  to  go  on  that  beautiful  lake.  If 
I  was  a  good  swimmer  hi  case  of  an  accident,  it  would 
be  different ;  but  you  see  I  cannot  swim  at  all." 

"Neither  can  I,"  said  Llewelyn  with  a  smile,  "but  with 
a  good  boat  there  is  nothing  to  fear  on  this  bit  of  a 
lake." 

"  Then  you  are  just  the  man  for  me  to  trust."  was  the 
reply.  "  If  you  will  indulge  me  in  this  matter,  I  will 
most  gladly  pay  for  the  use  of  the  boat,  and  thank  you 
most  heartily  in  the  bargain." 

"  It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  be  of  any  service 
to  you,  Mr.  Jenkins,"  said  Mr.  Edwards.  "  Your  warm 
sympathy  when  I  was  in  trouble  a  few  weeks  ago  has 
laid  me  under  great  obligation  to  you." 


THE   RESCUE   ON    "LLYN    TEGID."  179 

"Oh,  don't  mention  it!"  said  Mr.  Jenkins.  "But 
when  shall  we  go?" 

"  Let  us  go  this  evening  at  six  o'clock.  Shall  any  one 
go  with  us  ?" 

"Oh  no!"  said  Jenkins  with  a  hearty  laugh,  "I 
should  be  so  afraid  the  boat  would  sink." 

At  the  appointed  time  they  started ;  Llewelyn  took 
the  oars,  while  Jenkins  timidly  sat  in  the  stern.  The 
boat  was  soon  skimming  along  at  a  rapid  rate. 

" This  is  delightful,"  cried  Jenkins.  "It  is  a  shame 
that  I  have  not  been  on  this  lake  before.  Hereafter  I 
shall  not  be  so  silly." 

"  I  will  row  you  to  any  part  of  the  lake  or  shores 
you  may  wish,"  said  Llewelyn. 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Edwards,  you  may  go  where  you 
choose.  It  is  all  the  same  to  me." 

And  thus  they  chatted  away  indifferently  for  a  long 
time,  until  they  thought  it  was  time  to  give  their  boat 
a  homeward  direction. 

"Mr.  Edwards,"  said  Mr.  Jenkins  with  a  most 
pleasant  smile,  "your  movements  seem  to  be  so  easy 
and  graceful,  that  I  would  give  a  great  deal  if  I  could 
boast  of  such  proficiency  in  the  same  line." 

"  A  very  little  practice,  Mr.  Jenkins,  would  give  you 
all  the  proficiency  you  desire,"  said  Edwards,  "  and  I 
would  advise  you  to  begin  at  once." 

"  I  am  inclined  to  make  the  trial  now,"  said  Mr.  Jen- 


180  LLANGOBAITH. 

tins,  "  and  you  are  at  full  liberty  to  laugh  at  my 
blunders." 

"There  will  be  no  occasion  for  laughing/'  said 
Llewelyn.  "Now  let  us  change  seats." 

They  both  stood  up ;  and  Mr.  Jenkins,  in  changing 
his  location,  stepped  on  the  extreme  end  of  the  rowing 
seat,  the  boat  leaned  over,  he  lost  his  balance,  fell 
heavily  into  the  water  and  sunk  from  sight.  He  soon 
came  to  the  surface,  reached  out  his  hands  and  wildly 
cried,  "  For  God  sake,  save  me!" 

Llewelyn  stooping  over,  gave  him  both  hands,  when 
Jenkins  in  the  most  frantic  manner  gave  such  a  jerk 
that  instantly  pulled  the  young  student  into  the  water. 
Not  knowing  how  to  swim,  he  went  down.  When  he 
came  up,  Jenkins  was  at  some  distance,  clinging  to  the 
stern  of  the  boat.  Llewelyn  made  a  desperate  struggle 
to  keep  his  head  above  the  water,  but  soon  again  sunk 
out  of  sight. 

Fortunately,  this  was  seen  by  two  men  from  the 
shore,  who  at  once  started  to  the  rescue ;  and  when  the 
student  came  up  the  second  time,  they  were  on  the  spot 
with  their  boat,  and  he  was  saved. 

Seeing  that  Mr.  Jenkins  was  in  no  immediate  danger, 
they  paid  their  attention  to  Llewelyn,  who,  although 
much  exhausted,  soon  revived. 

"  Is  my  friend  safe  ?"  was  the  first  question. 

"  He  is  safe,"  was  the  reply. 


THE   RESCUE   ON    "  LLYX    TEGID."  181 

The  two  men  now  slowly  pulled  toward  Mr.  Jenkins 
and  took  him  into  their  boat 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Jenkins,  "  your  timely  arrival 
seems  like  a  miraculous  interposition  of  Providence  in 
saving  a  most  worthy  young  man  from  a  watery  grave." 

"But  your  behavior  in  the  premises  seems  to  us  as 
strange,"  said  George  Griffith. 

"To  tell  you  the  truth,"  said  Mr.  Jenkins,  ••  I  was  so 
alarmed  and  bewildered  that  I  did  not  know  what  I  was 
about.  But  we  are  in  no  condition  to  stay  here  any 
longer,  and  so  we  will  take  our  own  boat  and  start  for 
the  town." 

"  Mr.  Edwards  is  not  in  a  lit  condition  to  row,"  an- 
swered Thomas  Phillips.  "  You  had  better  remain  in 
this  boat,  and  let  us  take  you  home." 

"lam  fully  recovered,"  said  Llewelyn;  "I  can  row 
without  the  least  difficulty.  We  most  heartily  thank 
you  for  your  assistance.  Mr.  Jenkins  explained  to  me 
before  we  started,  his  great  timidity  on  the  water,  and 
that  fully  explains  his  behavior.  You  will  do  me  a 
great  favor  by  keeping  this  unfortunate  thing  to  your- 
selves. If  the  students  should  hear  of  it,  it  might 
cause  me  much  annoyance,  and  it  might  be  embarrassing 
to  Mr.  Jenkins,  who  on  all  occasions  has  proved  to  me  a 
most  excellent  friend." 

"Mr.  Edwards,"  said  Mr.  Griffith,  "we  shall  do  as  you 
desire." 


182  LLANOOBAITH. 

They  again  went  into  their  own  boat,  reached  the 
town,  sought  their  respective  rooms,  changed  their  gar- 
ments, and  all  passed  off  without  drawing  any  particu- 
lar attention. 

That  evening  Mr.  Jenkins  came  to  Mr.  Edwards' 
room,  and  said — 

"  I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  home,  and  my 
sister  is  so  anxious  to  have  me  return,  that  I  have  con- 
cluded to  start  in  the  morning.  While  I  have  been 
here,  your  society  has  been  to  me  very  agreeable.  And 
better  than  that,  I  trust  that  your  moral  influence  has 
told  favorably  on  my  mind.  I  see  more  beauty  in  Chris- 
tianity than  I  ever  have  before.  I  am  sorry  that  my 
behavior  on  the  lake  was  not  more  manly.  For  the 
time  being  I  lost  my  senses.  Never  again  will  I  ven- 
ture on  the  water  in  a  small  boat.  To-night  I  will  stay 
at  the  hotel,  in  order  to  take  the  coach  at  an  early  hour. 
I  will  now  bid  you  good-bye,  in  the  hope  of  seeing 
you  again  in  a  few  weeks.  I  would  advise  you  to  be  on 
your  guard  against  secret  enemies.  That  silly  gold 
watch  plot  convinced  me  that  there  are  those  who  are 
bent  on  doing  you  an  injury.  I  think  it  will  yet  be 
brought  to  light,  and  that  the  guilty  wretch  or  wretches 
will  be  punished." 

The  two  then  parted,  and  Llewelyn  felt  that  he  was 
indeed  losing  a  true  friend.     Mr.  Jenkins,  in  a  most 


THE   RESCUE   OS    "LLYN    TEGID."  183 

honorable  manner,  settled  all  his  bills,  and  made  sev- 
eral nice  presents  to  Mr.  Ellis'  children. 

Miss  Thomas  was  evidently  affected,  but  her  good 
sense  was  a  sufficient  guard  against  any  demonstration. 
The  popular  young  stranger  departed  next  morning, 
and  the  impression  he  left  upon  the  inhabitants  of  that 
quiet  town,  with  but  very  few  exceptions,  was  decidedly 
favorable. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

THOMAS  LLOYD'S  SISTER. 

Grace  Lloyd  was  a  lady  of  forty  years,  whose  heart, 
as  yet,  had  never  throbbed  with  any  particular  emo- 
tions of  affection  for  any  male  member  of  the  human 
race.  In  other  years  she  had  caused  many  hearts  to 
flutter.  With  imploring  looks,  more  than  one  had  beg- 
ged of  her  in  touching  poetic  strains,  to  save  them  from 
destruction.  But  with  an  expression  on  her  fair  coun- 
tenance that  only  quickened  their  pulsations,  she  had 
given  them  to  understand,  that  hitherto  she  had  not 
met  a  man  for  whose  society  she  was  willing  to  ex- 
change her  single  blessedness ;  and  in  accents  plain 
she  had  bidden  them  to  depart,  and  seek  balm  for  their 
wounded  spirits  in  some  other  quarters.  And  thus  she 
had  reached  this  age  without  a  single  wound  from  Cu- 
pid's arrow. 

Grace  possessed  an  independent  mind ;  but  in  her 
manners  there  was  nothing  haughty  or  imperious.  She 
was  somewhat  abrupt  in  her  expressions,  and  often  se- 
vere in  her  remarks ;  but  she  was  always  found  on  the 
right  side  of  all  moral  questions.  She  had  means  of 
her  own,  and  for  several  years  had  lived  with  some  of 
her  Welsh  friends  in  Liverpool. 


THOMAS  LLOYD'S  SISTEU.  185 

Of  her  brother's  trouble  with  Gwennie  she  was  in 
blissful  ignorance.  The  letter,  urgently  requesting  her 
presence  at  Druid's  Grove,  gave  her  no  reason  for  the 
daughter's  absence ;  and  under  the  impression  that  her 
niece  would  soon  return,  she  had  consented  to  super- 
intend the  household  duties. 

Several  things,  in  different  parts  of  the  house,  indi- 
cated to  her  keen  perceptions,  that  Gwennie  had  not 
left  home  under  the  ordinary  circumstances  of  a  per- 
son paying  a  transient  visit  to  a  distant  relative,  with 
the  expectation  of  soon  returning.  There  was  a  strange 
absence  of  almost  everything  that  belonged  to  the 
daughter,  with  a  suspicious  silence  on  the  part  of  her 
father  in  regard  to  her  departure ;  and  several  times, 
to  questions  relative  to  Gwennie  he  had  returned  eva- 
sive answers. 

"I  don't  know  what  it  is,"  said  Grace  to  herself, 
"  but  I  am  sure  that  something  of  a  serious  nature  has 
of  late  taken  place  under  this  roof.  I  am  not  going  to 
remain  in  the  dark  any  longer.  As  Tom's  sister,  and 
Gwennie' s  aunt,  I  have  a  right  to  know  how  matters 
stand;  and  I  will  know,  or  my  name  is  not  Grace 
Lloyd.  Jane !" 

That  person  was  soon  in  her  presence,  and  mani- 
fested in  her  countenance  a  thorough  readiness  to  do 
the  housekeeper's  bidding. 

"  Sit  down,  Jane,"  said  Grace  in  a  cheerful  tone."5 "  I 
12 


186  LLANOOBAITH. 

wish  to  ask  you  a  few  questions  in  regard  to  matters 
in  this  house." 

"  If  Miss  Lloyd  wants  to  know  anything  about  flour, 
butter,  cheese,  meat  and  cooking,  or  anything  else  in 
my  line,  I  will  tell  her  with  great  pleasure,"  said  Jane. 

"  Those  are  not  the  things  I  care  about  just  now," 
said  Miss  Lloyd  with  a  slight  smile.  "  I  wish  to  know 
what  were  the  circumstances  under  which  Gwennie  left 
home.  You  need  not  answer  unless  you  are  perfectly 
willing." 

"I  could  tell  you  much,  Miss  Lloyd,  but  I  am  not  at 
liberty,"  said  Jane  in  trembling  accents. 

"I  honor  you  for  your  faithfulness,"  said  Grace. 
"  But  Gwennie  is  the  last  person  on  earth  that  I  would 
have  suspected  of  doing  anything  wrong !" 

"  May  Heaven  save  us !"  cried  Jane,  wringing  her 
hands.  "  Don't  you  suspect  for  one  moment  that  my 
deai-  young  mistress  did  anything  wrong  !  She  is  as 
pure  and  good  as  the  angels  in  heaven !"  and  she  burst 
into  violent  sobbing.  Then  resuming,  she  said,  "  Let 
Miss  Lloyd  go  to  her  brother.  He  is  the  one  to  an- 
swer her  questions." 

"You  are  quite  right,  Jane,"  was  the  answer,  "and  I 
will  follow  your  advice."  And  the  housekeeper  and 
the  excellent  servant  went  about  their  respective  du- 
ties. 

"I  have  never  made  much  of  an  ado  over  the  girl," 


THOMAS  LLOYD'S  SISTER.  187 

said  Grace  again  to  herself,  "audit  may  be  possible 
that  she  thinks  that  I  care  but  little  about  her.  If  she 
does,  she  will  one  day  change  her  opinion." 

The  next  morning,  after  breakfast,  Grace  requested 
her  brother  to  come  to  her  room  up-stairs,  that  she 
wished  to  consult  him  in  regard  to  some  household 
movements.  And  Thomas  Lloyd  having  no  objection 
to  being  consulted,  found  his  way  to  Grace's  room. 

"Grace,  you  are  getting  along  finely.  If  you  wish 
to  get  any  information  in  regard  to  housekeeping, 
Jane  will  tell  you  all  about  such  matters." 

"At  present  I  am  in  search  of  information  that 
should  not  come  from  a  servant,  but  from  the  head  of 
the  family,"  said  Grace.  "  Tom,  I  want  to  know  in  the 
first  place,  what  were  the  circumstances  under  which 
Gwennie  left  this  house  ?'" 

"O  bother!"  said  her  brother,  "why  should  you 
trouble  your  head  about  that  ?  Gwennie  is  away,  and 
will  stay  away,  and  I  beg  of  you  not  to  mention  the 
subject  again." 

"  Your  begging  is  in  vain,  and  the  subject  will  be 
mentioned  again,"  said  Grace.  "  Your  letter  to  me  was 
misleading  and  deceptive.  J  came  here  under  the  im- 
pression that  Gwennie  had  left  on  a  visit  to  friends. 
The  looks  of  her  rooms  appeared  to  me  mysterious, 
and  I  soon  became  convinced  that  there  had  been  some 
trouble.  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  the  whole  truth  ?" 


188  LLANOOBAITH. 

"  I  told  you  as  much  truth  as  then  answered  my  pur- 
pose," was  the  short  reply. 

"  And  I  intend  that  before  you  leave  this  room,  Tom 
Lloyd,  you  will  tell  as  much  as  will  answer  my  pur- 
pose," said  the  sister,  in  a  way  that  the  brother  pretty 
well  understood.  "  Please  bear  in  mind  that  I  am  not 
a  dependent  on  your  charity.  I  would  advise  you  to 
be  a  little  careful  in  regard  to  the  manner  in  which  you 
answer  my  questions.  As  your  sister,  and  Gwennie's 
aunt,  I  have  a  right  to  know  these  things  in  regard  to 
which  I  am  in  the  dark.  If  you  prove  stubborn,  I  give 
you  fair  warning  that  to-night  will  find  me  at  Bangor, 
and  that  in  less  than  forty-eight  hours  I  will  be  in  my 
own  rooms  in  Liverpool.  I  ask  you  again,  what  were  the 
circumstances  under  which  Gwennie  left  this  house  ?" 

Thomas  Lloyd  well  understood  the  nature  and  tem- 
per of  that  person  before  whom  he  quailed,  and  re- 
plied: 

"  Gwennie  defied  my  authority,  as  a  parent,  and 
utterly  refused  to  obey  my  commands." 

"When  I  hear  what  those  commands  were,  I  shall  be 
able  to  judge  whether  she  did  right  or  wrong,"  said 
Grace.  "  What  did  you  command  her  to  do,  Tom  f ' 

"  I  commanded  her  to  accept  the  hand  and  fortune 
of  a  worthy  young  gentleman,  who  sought  her  for  a 
wife,  and  she  disregarded  my  command,  and  rejected 
his  generous  offer,"  said  Thomas  Lloyd. 


THOMAS   LLOYD  8    SISTER. 


189 


Here  Grace  burst  out  in  a  peculiar  laughter  in 
which  were  mixed  in  equal  quantities,  scorn,  auger, 
and  ridicule.  After  the  laughter  came  a  certain  look, 
which  Thomas  Lloyd  had  often  witnessed  in  other  years, 
and  before  which  he  could  never  stand.  And  now.  pe- 
nurious as  he  was,  he  would  have  given  a  good  round 
sum  of  money  to  escape  that  peculiar  stare.  But  to  run 
away,  at  this  stage,  would  have  been  disastrous. 

"Grace,  for  Heaven's  sake,  don't  look  at  me  in  that 
way !"  he  cried.  '•  Your  words  are  hard  enough,  and 
your  laugh  is  worse,  but  give  me  anything  rather  than 
that  look !" 

"Well,  brother,"  said  Grace,  with  somewhat  of  an 
altered  countenance,  "I  am  deeply  interested  in  the 
narrative.  Now  proceed,  and  give  me  the  name  of  this 
worthy  gentleman,  as  you  call  him,  that  your  daughter, 
contrary  to  your  command,  rejected." 

"He  is  none  other  than  Mr.  Lucas  Pugh,  of  River- 
side," said  Lloyd. 

"  And  you  call  him  a  worthy  gentleman  !"  said  Grace. 

"  And  why  not  ?"  asked  the  brother. 

"For  the  best  reason  in  the  world."  was  the  answer. 
*l  He  has  not  one  worthy  quality,  nor  a  single  gentle- 
manly trait.  And,  Tom  Lloyd,  you  know  it !  And  yet, 
with  that  full  knowledge,  you  commanded  your  pure- 
minded  daughter  to  unite  herself  to  that  vile  specimen 
of  moral  corruption !"  And  again  she  gave  her  brother 


190  LLANOOBAITH. 

that  look.  "  Of  course,  she  disobeyed  your  command," 
she  continued.  "  It  could  not  be  otherwise.  Oh,  I 
feel  humiliated  to  think  that  I  have  a  brother  that  could 
pollute  his  lips  with  such  a  monstrous  order !" 

"Grace!"  said  Lloyd,  jumping  to  his  feet,  "such 
language  is  jard  to  bear  !" 

"  We  cannot  tell  how  much  we  can  bear  until  we  are 
put  to  the  test,"  said  the  sister.  "  I  have  much  more 
to  say  before  you  leave  this  room,  and  I  am  going  to 
say  it  in  my  own  way.  But  let  me  hear  more  of  the 
narrative.  Why  did  Gwennie  leave  her  home  ?  An- 
swer me  that  question." 

*'  I  commanded  her  to  leave,"  said  the  brother,  with 
as  much  assurance  as  he  conld  command.  "  In  addi- 
tion to  rejecting  Mr.  Pugh,  she  has  accepted  the  suit 
of  a  fellow  whose  father  cannot  command  a  thousand 
pounds." 

"  And  who  is  this  '  fellow,'  as  you  call  him,  that  was 
so  bold  and  daring  ?"  asked  the  sister  in  feigned  won- 
der, and  with  a  smile  which  Lloyd  well  knew  did  not 
indicate  that  the  storm  was  subsiding. 

"  It  is  Llewelyn  Edwards,  of  the  '  shop,' "  aaid  Lloyd. 
"  He  has  of  late  become  a  ranting  Methodist,  and  is  now 
at  Bala  preparing  to  be  one  of  their  ministers." 

Without  replying  to  his  last  remark,  the  sister  said : 
"At  last  I  understand  the  situation,  and  I  am  some- 
what relieved.  At  first  I  had  some  faint  fears  that 


THOMAS  LLOYD'S  SISTEK.  191 

Gwennie  had  been  guilty  of  some  imprudence  and  had, 
without  reason,  left  her  home.  Now  I  see  that  she  has 
been  perfectly  blameless,  and  that  her  actions  have  been 
those  of  a  pure-minded  lady.  Never  has  she  stood  so 
high  in  my  estimation  as  she  does  this  moment.1' 

"  And  by  the  same  rule,  I  never  stood  so  low  in  your 
estimation  as  I  do  this  moment,"  said  Lloyd. 

"  Tom,  thou  hast  said  it,''  said  Grace.  "  I  have  known 
for  years  that  the  love  of  money  was  the  great  ruling 
passion  of  your  soul.  But  I  had  no  idea  that  you  could 
ever  stoop  to  such  a  depth  of  degradation  as  this.  I 
shudder  to  think  of  it!" 

"  Then  let  us  drop  the  subject,''  said  Thomas. 

"  No !  The  subject  is  of  too  serious  a  nature  to  drop," 
said  Grace.  "  You  have  committed  a  great  wrong.  I 
hope  that  this  awful  sin  against  God  and  your  daughter 
is  not  yet  known.  Tom,  this  matter  must  be  righted, 
and  that  without  delay,  or  you  will  be  hissed  even  by 
the  children  when  you  pass  by.  "What  is  your  candid 
opinion  ?  I  thiuk  you  have  seen  the  time  when  you 
had  a  degree  of  conscience.  Tom,  is  there  any  left  ?  I 
am  very  anxious  to  know  whether  there  is  anything  in 
you  that  is  worth  saving.  Are  you  satisfied  with  your 
treatment  of  Gwennie  f 

"Well,  Grace,"  said  the  brother,  "seeing  we  have 
gone  into  the  subject  so  deep,  I  may  as  well  admit  that 


192  LLANOOBAITH. 

I  ain  not  satisfied  with  \\hat  I  have  clone.  I  have  been 
too  severe.'1 

"  Ah,  Tom,"  said  Grate,  "  I  ain  sure  that  that  is  the 
voice  of  a  good  conscience,  and  is  a  positive  proof  that 
it  still  lives !  I  will  give  you  all  the  assistance  in  my 
power.  This  conscience,  if  you  will  but  listen  to  its 
voice,  will  tell  you  that  Lucas  Pugh  is  a  person  that 
no  Christian  girl  can  admire ;  that  your  commands 
were  cruel  and  wicked  ;  that  Llewelyn  Edwards  is  full 
worthy  of  your  daughter,  and  that  you  should  ask 
Gwennie's  forgiveness  and  bring  her  home.  All  this 
conscience  will  tell  you." 

For  a  fewfmoments  there  was  silence,  while  the  sharp 
eyes  of  the  sister  rested  on  those  of  the  brother.  Lloyd, 
from  the  moment  when  the  conversation  began,  felt 
that  he]  was  brought  before  a  terrible  tribunal  with 
whose^judgment  he  could  not  trifle.  During  each  ad- 
ditional minute  he  felt  that  his  defence  was  weakening, 
until  at  last  he  clearly  saw  that  he  was  indeed  the  un- 
kind wretch  so  plainly  described  by  his  sister,  and  more 
so  by  the  voice  of  conscience.  His  pride  and  stub- 
bornness fought  desperately,  but  that  terrible  voice 
came  nigher  and  stronger,  ringing  in  the  ear  of  his 
soul,  "  You  have  done  wrong  /"  until  at  last,  in  words 
marked  with  agitation,  he  said : 

"  Grace !  it  is  both  foolish  and  wicked  for  me  any 
longer  to  hide  my  real  feelings  and  convictions.  I 


THOMAS  LLOYD'S  SISTER.  193 

know  that  your  severest  sentences  are  all  true.  I  felt 
that  I  was  guilty,  but  I  tried  to  defend  myself  with 
weak  sophistry.  From  that  fatal  moment  when  I  drove 
Gwenuie  from  her  home,  I  have  been  one  of  the  most 
miserable  of  men.  I  have  not  enjoyed  one  quiet  hour 
by  day  or  by  night.  A  heavy  load  has  been  pressing 
me  down.  All  the  arguments  I  could  gather  have  ap- 
peared weak  and  foolish.  Several  times  I  have  been  on 
the  point  of  starting  for  Carnarvon  after  Gwennie,  and 
to  ask  her  forgiveness.  But  pride  triumphed  over  con- 
science. When  I  wrote  to  Liverpool,  I  ought  to  have 
been  honest.  I  promised  myself  that  I  would  give  you 
the  information  on  your  arrival.  Since  you  came,  the 
more  I  thought  of  it,  the  more  I  shrunk  from  approach- 
ing the  subject.  I  am  astonished  at  the  change  that 
has  come  over  me,  and  I  am  tempted  to  doubt  my 
senses.  My  eyes  have  been  opened  to  see  the  past,  and 
the  sight  is  shocking  !  I  have  been  governed  by  one 
ruling  motive — money-making.  For  the  first  time  the 
awful  conviction  conies  upon  me  with  crushing  weight 
that  had  I  been  a  different  man,  my  wife  would  not 
have  died  !  I  am  well  convinced  that  Lucas  Pugh  is  a 
bad  young  man,  and  I  am  very  glad  that  Gwennie  re- 
fused to  comply  with  my  mad  request.  Llewelyn  Ed- 
wards is  a  worthy  person,  although  I  have  no  sympathy 
with  his  Methodism.  Grace,  I  have  told  you  all ;  the 
effort  has  almost  prostrated  me.  I  feel  as  weak  as  a 


194  LLANGOBAITH. 

ch  ild,  both  in  body  and  mind.  I  will  leave  this  matter 
in  your  hands,  and  I  will  abide  by  your  instructions." 
Grace,  while  delighted,  was  not  demonstrative.  She 
simply  said — "  Tom,  in  regard  to  your  bodily  strength, 
I  cannot  say.  But  in  my  opinion,  you  have  manifested 
more  strength  of  mind  than  ever  before.  We  have 
reached  a  favorable  point,  and  before  many  days  Druid's 
Grove  will  smile  again  under  a  brighter  sunshine  than 
it  has  seen  in  many  years." 


CHAPTER  XVHI. 

RECONCILIATION    AND    DI8COVEKIES. 

It  was  a  delightful  evening.  The  sun  had  disap- 
peared beyond  the  hills  of  Sir  Fon,  and  the  western 
firmament  was  covered  with  golden  splendor.  Gwennie 
and  her  uncle  had  just  returned  from  a  pleasant  walk 
on  the  beach  fronting  that  tine  harbor,  and  were  seated 
in  one  of  Mr.  Williams'  parlors.  Helen  Edwards  had 
returned  to  Llangobaith  some  days  before. 

"  Uncle  Morris,"  said  Gwennie,  k*  to  me  this  has  been 
a  day  of  deep  meditation.  Past  events  have  crowded 
upon  my  memory." 

"  And  most  of  them  have  been  pleasant,"  said  her 
uncle. 

"  They  have,"  she  replied.  "  My  school  days  were 
one  perpetual  stream  of  enjoyment.  My  church  rela- 
tion has  been  happy,  and  I  have  rejoiced  in  the  affec- 
tion of  a  most  loving  mother." 

"And  yet  you  nave  passed  through  some  severe  trials, 
Gwennie,"  said  Mr.  "Williams. 

"Yes,"  said  the  maiden,  "but  worse  than  all,  my 
father  turned  against  me  and  banished  me  from  my 
home !" 

"  His   conduct  was  very  bad !"   said  Mr.  Williams- 


196  LLANGOBAITH. 

But,  Gwennie,  he  will  yet  look  at  the  matter  seriously, 
be  heartily  ashamed  of  his  conduct,  and  ask  your  for- 


"Oh,  my  dear  uncle!"  broke  out  Gwennie,  with  tears. 
"  Do  you  really  believe  that  my  father  will  again  be 
good  and  kind,  and  that  I  shall  get  home  to  Uwyn  y 
Derwydd?" 

"Yes,  my  dear,"  was  his  answer.  "I  am  almost  sure 
of  it." 

"  And  why  do  you  think  so,  Uncle  Morris  f ' 

"For  several  reasons,"  he  said.  "First,  no  person, 
unless  utterly  depraved,  can  go  as  far  as  he  did  with- 
out meeting  a  tremendous  reaction.  I  think  he  has 
some  conscience  left  after  all,  and  that  he  will  yet  try 
to  atone  for  his  cruel  treatment.  Another  thing,  Grace 
Lloyd  has  taken  him  in  hand  before  this  time,  and  if 
she  has  not  scattered  the  live  coals  of  truth  upon  his 
naked  heart,  I  am  mistaken.  Yes,  Gwennie  dear,  you 
will  go  back  to  Druid's  Grove.  I  shall  miss  your  soci- 
ty  much,  but  I  don't  wish  it  to  become  known  that  your 
father  has  treated  you  so  unkindly." 

"  My  dear  uncle,  are  you  not  too  hopeful  ?M  cried 
Gwennie.  "  But  may  my  father  in  Heaven  grant  that 
it  may  so  prove !'' 

Here  one  of  Mr.  Williams'  clerks  brought  in  the  mail 
.and  presented  it  to  his  master. 


RECONCILIATION   AND    DISCOVERIES.  197 

He  looked  the  letters  over,  and  quietly  smiled.  Gwen- 
nie  watched  him  with  a  throbbing  heart. 

"  Is  there  anything  for  me,  uncle  Moms  ?" 

"  It  looks  very  much  as  if  there  was,  Gwennie,"  said 
her  uncle,  as  he  handed  her  three  letters. 

"  Oh,  uncle  !"  cried  the  girl,  "  a  letter  from  papa ! 
Is  not  that  astonishing  ?" 

'"  Not  as  I  view  things,  dear,"  was  the  reply. 

"  I  am  afraid  to  open  it,  uncle  Morris !"  she  cried 
again. 

"  I  think  there  is  nothing  in  it  that  will  hurt  you/' 

She  opened  it  and  read  the  first  sentence.  "  M} 
dear  abused  child."  She  jumped  to  her  feet,  uttered  a 
loud  cry  of  joy,  fell  upon  her  uncle's  neck  and  kissed 
him. 

"  Oh,  uncle  Morris,  I  am  almost  too  happy  to  live ! 
Papa  calls  me  his  'dear  abused  child!'  This  is  too 
good  to  come  all  at  once!  Where  is  the  letter?  I 
must  go  by  myself  or  you  will  be  ashamed  of  me  !"  and 
she  ran  to  her  room.  A  calmness  came  over  her,  and 
she  read  the  following  : 

"MY  DEAR  ABUSED  CHILD: 

Ever  since  that  day  when  I  so  cruelly  and  wickedly 
ordered  you  to  leave  your  own  nome,  I  have  been  a 
deeply  wretched  man,  continually  tormented  with  guilt 
and  shame.  I  tried  to  get  Jane  to  take  charge.  She 
refused,  and  gave  me  a  rebuke  that  cut  deep  into  my 
soul.  Your  aunt  Grace  came  with  the  impression  thai 


198  LLAXGOBAITH. 

you  had  only  left  on  a  visit.  One  morning  she  brought 
me  to  an  account.  I  tried  to  evade,  but  it  was  of  no 
use,  and  I  confessed  the  whole.  At  first  I  showed  no 
penitence,  but  she  soon  overwhelmed  me  in  confusion ! 
I  told  her  my  regrets  and  sorrow,  and  put  myself  under 
her  training.  Dear  Gwennie,  I  am  deeply  sorry  for  my 
conduct,  and  sincerely  ask  your  forgiveness.  I  am 
thankful  that  you  disregarded  my  cruel  commands. 
To-day  Lucas  Pugh  looks  as  forbidding  to  me  as  he 
does  to  you.  I  gladly  withdraw  all  objections  to  Llew- 
elyn Edwards,  who  is  a  worthy  young  man.  On  next 
Wednesday,  Robin  Jones  will  bring  your  aunt  Grace  to 
Carnarvon,  and  I  trust  that  my  dear  daughter  will  re- 
turn with  them  to  her  old  home.  You  can  show  this 
letter  to  your  uncle  Morris. 

Affectionately  your  penitent 

FATHER." 

Grace's  letter  was  very  brief. 

41  MY  DEAR  GWENNIE  : 

Your  father's  letter  will  explain  all.  Your  conduct 
throughout  has  been  praiseworthy,  and  your  trouble  is 
at  an  end.  On  Wednesday,  of  course,  you  will  return 
with  me  to  Druid's  Grove. 

Affectionately  your 

AUNT  GRAC*.'* 

With  a  spirit  sweetly  calmed,  she  again  joined  Mr. 
Williams. 

"  Uncle  Morris,"  she  said,  '•  the  news  was  so  good, 
and,  to  me,  so  unexpected,  that  it  completely  ove  r 


RECONCILIATION   AND    DISCOVERIES.  199 

whelmed  me.  I  am  afraid  that  my  behavior  was  a  little 
wild." 

"It  was  just  right,  Gwennie,"  said  Mr.  Williams, 
"  and  I  would  not  have  had  it  different." 

"  Papa  writes  that  I  may  show  his  letter  to  you,"  said 
Gwennie,  "  and  here  are  a  few  lines  from  aunt  Grace.'' 

"  Short  and  to  the  point,"  said  the  uncle.  "  Grace 
never  indulges  in  waste  words,  but  has  always  on  hand 
a  good  supply  of  common  sense.  What  beautiful  wri- 
ting, Gwennie !  Just  look  at  the  graceful  curve  of  that 
G,  and  the  beauty  of  that  L !  Such  penmanship,  in 
my  opinion,  shows  something  more  than  mechanical  in- 
genuity. Have  you  any  more  letters  for  me  to  read  ?'' 

"  I  have  one  more,  uncle  Morris,  and  I  have  no  objec- 
tion for  f,ou  to  read  it." 

"  Oh,  no ;  I  don't  wish  to  read  that  letter.  I  hope 
Llewelyn  is  well." 

"  He  is  well  and  happy,  and  sends  kind  regards." 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day  the  familiar 
equipage  from  Druid's  Grove  appeared  in  front  of  Mor- 
ris Williams'  mansion.  The  door  of  the  carriage  was 
pulled  open,  and  the  aunt  and  niece  enjoyed  a  hearty 
embrace.  Gwennie  also  took  her  father's  faithful  ser- 
vant by  the  hand,  which  greatly  pleased  Kobin  Jones. 

The  aunt  was  conducted  into  the  parlor,  where  she 
was  gladly  received  by  Mr.  Williams,  with  whom  she 
was  on  familiar  terms. 


200  LLANOOBAITH. 

"  Gwennie,"  said  Grace,  "  my  stay  at  present  will  be 
very  short.  I  have  only  one  errand,  and  that  is  to  take 
you  home  to  Druid's  Grove." 

"  Nay,  Grace  !"  said  Morris  Williams,  "  stay  and  let 
us  enjoy  a  little  visit." 

"Not  to-day,  Morris,"  said  Grace.  "Before  long  we 
shall  come  and  make  you  a  good  all-day  visit.  With 
that  promise,  we  must  go.  Call  Robin  in,  and  let  him 
take  the  trunks.  Now,  my  dear,  put  on  your  things 
and  prepare  for  a  delightful  ride." 

The  trunks  were  properly  deposited,  Gwennie  gave 
her  uncle  a  highly  demonstrative  kiss,  and  the  briefly 
disowned  was  on  her  way  to  a  reconstructed  father. 


About  the  time  Llewelyn  entered  the  Theological  In- 
stitute at  Bala,  Taliesin  Roberts,  through  the  influence 
and  under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Parry,  of  Thrush  Grove, 
was  admitted  as  a  student  into  the  office  of  an  eminent 
barrister  at  Bangor,  by  the  name  of  Parry  Jones,  in 
whose  eyes  the  young  man  found  much  favor.  Roberts 
was  tall,  straight  and  comely,  and  was  often  mentioned 
in  highly  complimentary  terms  by  some  of  the  noted 
lady  beauties  of  the  city. 

Llangobaith  being  not  far  from  Bangor,  Taliesin  was 
often  found  under  his  parents'  roof,  and  he  was  by  no 
means  a  stranger  at  the  "  shop,"  where  he  always  found 
a  most  hearty  welcome. 


RECONCILIATION    AND    DISCOVERIES.  201 

The  day  had  passed,  and  part  of  the  night.  The 
lights  in  the  business  part  of  the  "•  shop  "  had  been 
extinguished.  The  father,  daughter,  Mrs.  Owen  and 
Taliesin,  were  seated  together  in  the  pleasant  parlor. 

••Taliesin,"  said  Mr.  Edwards,  ''for  some  little  time 
you  have  been  a  law  student.  Think  you  not  that  this 
plot  against  Llewelyn  originated  at  Langobaith  '?" 

- 1  certainly  do,"  said  the  young  man.  ••  It  sprung 
from  the  cowardly  malice  and  hatred  of  Lucas  Pugh 
and  John  Spike,  assisted  by  those  who  are  more  expert 
in  mischief."  ' 

"  And  yet,"  said  Helen,  "he  utterly  fails  to  lincl  a 
person  at  Bala  that  he  cannot  call  a  real  friend.  There 
is  but  one  stranger  with  whom  he  associates,  and  in 
him  he  has  the  utmost  confidence.'' 

"Aye,"  said  Taliesin,  "and  that  one  stranger  is  a 
villain  in  disguise — a  hired  tool  of  Lucas  Pugh  to  dis- 
honor your  brother." 

••  Taliesin,  you  perfectly  astonish  me!"  said  Helen. 
"  Papa,  what  do  you  think  ?" 

-I  think  Taliesin  is  correct,"  answered  the  father. 

•'  I  am  concerned  about  our  boy's  personal  safety," 
said  Mrs.  Owen. 

"  I  am  troubled  on  that  score  myself,"  said  the  young 
man.  "Such  is  Lucas  Pugh's  depravity  and  revenge- 
ful disposition,  that  he  would  furnish  money  to  carry 

on  even  a  murderous  plan.     Llewelyn  says  that  this 
13 


202  LLANOOBAITH. 

Jenkins  has  left  Bala  for  South  Wales ;  but  I  am  of 
the  opinion  that  even  now  he  is  in  malicious  con- 
sultation with  Pugh  and  the  Spikes.  I  have  revealed 
this  matter  to  Parry  Jones,  and  this  is  his  candid 
conviction.  He  has  given  me  permission  to  stay  in 
this  vicinity  for  a  number  of  days,  and  watch  the  move- 
ments of  things.  I  ask  for  no  higher  honor  than  to 
bear  some  part  in  bringing  these  depraved  wretches  to 
justice  and  punishment.'' 

"  Taliesin,"  said  Helen,  with  some  alarm  in  her  voice, 
"  don't  put  yourself  in  the  way  of  these  bad  men,  for 
they  hate  you  almost  as  much  as  they  do  my  brother." 

"  I  will  be  careful,  Helen,"  said  the  young  man,  "  but 
I  am  willing  to  run  some  risk  in  the  interest  of  one 
who  is  so  dear  to  us  all.  I  have  no  fixed  plan,  but  I 
am  on  the  watch." 

After  some  more  conversation  of  the  same  nature, 
the  hour  being  late,  Taliesin  took  his  leave.  The  night 
was  dark  and  windy.  He  was  no  sooner  in  the  street 
than  he  was  accosted  by  a  voice  quite  familiar. 

"  Robin  Jones,  is  that  you  ?"  asked  Taliesin,  grasp- 
ing the  young  man's  hand.  "  Like  myself,  you  are  out 
at  a  late  hour." 

"Aye,  and  so  I  am,"  said  Robin.  "I  have  been  at 
your  father's,  snd  they  told  me  where  to  look  for  you. 
I  did  not  wish  to  disturb  you,  and  so  I  have  waited  for 
you  on  this  spot." 


RECONCILIATION   AND    DISCOVERIES.  203 

"  It  must  be  something  of  importance  that  puts  you 
to  all  this  trouble,"  said  Taliesiu. 

"  You  will  be  the  better  judge  of  this  when  I  tell 
you  what  it  is.  First,  I  have  something  good  to  tell 
you.  Gwennie  is  home  again.  Her  father  has  asked 
her  forgiveness,  and  all  is  sweet." 

"  Kobin  Jones !"  cried  Taliesin,  u  are  you  sure  that 
is  true?" 

"I  drove  the  carriage  that  brought  her  home  this 
very  day ;  and  didn't  I  see  the  master  kissing  of  her  ?" 
said  Robin. 

"It  is  enough  !    The  news  is  glorious!"  said  Taliesiu. 

"But  I  have  something  bad  to  tell  you."  Robin  went 
on,  "  There  are  some  chaps  hereabout  that  wish  you  ill, 
and  intend  to  murder  Llewelyn  Edwards,  and  you  must 
know  it." 

"  You  are  a  good,  faithful  friend,  Robin  !"  said  Tal- 
iesin, "and  your  faithfulness  will  not  be  forgotten. 
But  this  is  no  place  to  talk  about  such  matters.  Come 
with  me,"  and  in  a  moment  he  was  seeking  admission 
into  the  room  he  had  so  lately  left. 

"  Helen,"  said  he,  "  I  have  just  met  Robin  Jones,  who 
has  something  of  importance  to  tell  me  in  confidence. 
He  also  informs  me  that  Thomas  Lloyd  has  repented 
of  his  ill-treatment  of  Gwennie,  asked  her  forgiveness, 
and  brought  her  home." 

"  May  the  Lord  be  praised !"  was  Helen's  reply. 


204  LLAXGOBA1TH. 

They  were  shown  into  a  room,  the  door  was  closed, 
and  Robin  Jones  began : 

"  Last  night  I  went  to  see  my  bister  Jane.  She  is  a 
servant  at  Nant  y  Llyffaint.  I  was  coming  home 
across  the  fields,  and  it  was  quite  late.  Not  far  from 
Riverside,  I  heard  voices  approaching.  Not  wishing  to 
meet  them,  I  jumped  over  the  higu  hedge  and  hid 
from  sight.  When  they  came  close  to  where  I  was, 
they  stopped,  and  although  they  spoke  low,  I  could 
hear  every  word.  There  were  three  of  them ;  two  I  well 
knew  by  their  voices.  These  were  Lucas  Pugh  and 
John  Spike.  The  other  voice,  which  was  very  rough. 
I  did  not  know,  but  from  their  talk  I  soon  found  that  it 
belonged  to  John  Spike's  father." 

"Didn't  we  tell  you  that  the  stealing  trick  would  fall 
flat?"  asked  old  Spike;  "but  like  fools,  you  thought  it 
would  be  a  sure  thing.  Who  the  devil  would  believe 
that  Llewelyn  Edwards  would  steal  watches?  The 
other  scheme  came  within  an  inch  of  being  a  success. 
He  went  down  twice,  and  would  have  been  nicely  out  of 
the  way  if  those  cursed  students  hadn't  picked  him  up. 
To-morrow  night  we  shall  hear  all  about  it  from  Scroggs 
himself." 

"  I  have  already  paid  a  sight  of  money,"  said  Lucas, 
"  and  I  am  ready  to  pay  more ;  but  the  thing  must  not 
fail." 

"Fail!"  cried  old  Spike,  " Scroggs  never  fails.     Be- 


RECONCILIATION   AND    DISCOVERIES.  205 

fore  he  gets  through,  he  will  put  that  pious  howler 
eternally  out  of  the  way,  and  of  course  we  shall  all  be 
sorry  for  the  sad  accident." 

"And  I  am  bound  that  Taliesin  Roberts  must  come 
in  for  a  share,"  said  John  Spike  with  an  oath. 

"  That  will  come  in  all  right  at  the  proper  time,"  said 
the  father.  "But,  John,  you  must  learn  to  keep  your 
mouth  shut.'' 

"  At  what  hour  to-morrow  night  shall  we  meet 
Scroggs?''  asked  Lucas. 

"At  midnight,  in  the  bower,"  said  Spike,  ''where  he 
will  give  us  an  account  of  his  labors  at  Bala." 

Here  the  company  left.  I  wanted  to  run  to  Baugor 
and  tell  you  at  once,  but  learning  that  you  were  to  be 
at  home  to-day,  I  waited." 

"  Well,  Robin,  you  have  discovered  an  infernal  plot," 
said  Roberts.  "Already  the}-  have  tried  to  murder  our 
friend,  and  are  fully  bent  on  accomplishing  their  work. 
To-night  they  meet  again.  A  thousand  pities  we  don't 
know  the  place  of  their  concealment." 

"  I  take  it  to  be  some  out-of-door  place  they  call  'the 
bower,'"  said  Robin.  "I  dare  say,  it  is  far  enough 
from  any  road  or  pathway." 

"We  can  now  leave,  Robin,  and  enjoy  each  other's 
company  for  at  least  a  mile,"  said  Taliesin ;  and  with 
another  pleasant  "good  night,"  they  left,  and  started 


206  LLANGOBAITH. 

for  their  respective  homes.  In  a  low  undertone  they 
continued  their  conversation. 

When  they  had  traveled  about  half  a  mile,  Robin 
came  to  a  sudden  stand ;  but  it  was  only  for  a  few  sec- 
onds, and  starting  again,  he  remarked,  "I  presume  it 
was  nothing,  but  I  thought  I  saw  a  faint  light."  He 
suddenly  stopped  again. 

"  Now,  Taliesin  Roberts,"  said  he,  "  can  you  see  a 
bit  of  light  in  that  direction,  or  do  my  eyes  deceive 
me?" 

Taliesin  looked  into  the  far-off  darkness  and  said  in 
a  low  voice,  "  I  certainly  see  it !  And  now,  Robin,  tell 
me  the  spot  as  near  as  you  can  judge,  and  see  if  we 
agree  on  the  locality." 

"I  think  it  is  in  the  vicinity  of  Coed  y  Pant"  said 
Robin.  "  There,  it  has  gone  out,  or  out  of  sight — per- 
haps into  the  valley." 

"Tour  opinion  agrees  with  mine,"  said  Roberts.  "It 
may  be  possible  that  Coed  y  Pant  is  the  very  place 
where  these  villains  have  their  'bower.'  Robin,  I  am 
going  to  try  to  find  the  hiding  place  of  these  incarnate 
demons.  There  is  no  time  to  be  lost.  Will  you  go  with 
me  and  stand  by  me  f 

"  I  will  go  with  you  to  any  spot  on  earth,  and  stand 
by  you,  even  if  it  should  cost  me  my  life !"  said  Robin. 

"  Brave  fellow !"  said  Taliesin.  "  Now  for  the  Valley 
Woods.  I  have  some  knowledge  of  the  surroundings, 


RECONCILIATION    AND    DISCOVERIES.  207 

and  will  lead.  When  we  get  there,  we  must  tread  with 
the  silence  of  a  cat.  Here  we  start !'' 

And  at  a  rapid  rate,  with  their  hearts  beating  with 
indignant  excitement,  they  started  for  that  unfre- 
quented spot,  and  before  a  great  while  they  were  not 
far  from  the  locality  where  they  thought  they  had  seen 
the  light.  Instead  of  moving  forward  at  once  into  the 
wooded  valley  before  them,  they  went  around  its  south- 
ern end,  and  carefully  looked  clown  into  its  depths 
from  the  opposite  side.  Thus  they  moved  slowly  and 
carefully,  in  perfect  silence,  for  some  time.  At  last, 
Robin  seized  Taliesin  by  the  arm  and  secured  his  atten- 
tion. He  then,  without  even  a  whisper,  pointed  with 
his  finger  downward  to  the  valley.  Taliesin  saw  at 
some  distance  a  faint  light,  as  if  shining  through  thick 
branches.  With  noisless  movements  they  slowly  ad- 
vanced through  the  thicket,  in  the  direction  of  the  light. 
Step  by  step  they  persevered  until  they  reached  the 
spot.  It  was  a  rude  cabin,  made  of  tree  branches  cov- 
ing a  slight  frame-work.  To  their  great  satisfaction, 
our  two  young  friends  found  that  they  were  at  the  rear 
end  of  the  structure,  and  that  in  case  they  were  discov- 
ered, they  could  make  good  their  escape. 

They  sat  down  within  a  few  inches  of  the  cabin,  and 
through  very  small  openings,  they  had  a  fair  view  of 
the  interior.  There  were  four  together,  and  Scroggs 
secerned  to  be  the  great  man  of  the  occasion. 


208  LLANGOBAITH. 

"  Let  us  drink  around,  and  proceed  to  business,"  said 
Lucas  Pugh,  in  rather  a  strong  voice.  ' 

"It  would  better  suit  me,  Mr.  Pugb,  if  you  would 
pitch  your  tune  on  a  lower  key."  said  Scroggs. 

"There  is  no  danger,"  said  Lucas.  "Ill  defy  all 
hell  to  find  us  out !" 

"  The  spot  is  a  good  one,"  said  Scroggs,  "  but  your  in- 
sisting on  having  a  light  because  you  had  dropped  a 
knife  that  was  not  worth  two  and  sixpence,  proves  that 
you  are  not  the  safest  man  for  an  enterprise  of  this  na- 
ture. If  we  are  not  pursued  by  spies,  no  thanks  to 
you.  Among  my  fellows  I  stand  high,  and  in  this  mat- 
ter my  reputation  must  not  suffer.  For  the  present, 
put  that  bottle  away." 

Lucas  made  no  reply,  and  Mr.  Scroggs  proceeded. 

"  The  theft  movement,  on  which  you  boys  insisted, 
utterly  failed.  I  told  you  it  would,  and  I  never  would 
have  consented  to  try  it,  only  as  I  saw  that  out  of  it 
I  could  manufacture  strength  for  further  movements. 
I  did  not  blame  Mr.  Pugh  for  wishing  to  accomplish 
his  object  without  resorting  to  extreme  measures.  It 
would  have  been  far  more  agreeable  to  me,  and  far 
cheaper  for  him.  I  gave  the  watch  movement  all  the 
force  I  could,  but  it  would  not  work.  It  was  folly  to 
suppose  that  Gwennie  Lloyd  would  throw  off  Edwards 
on  the  strength  of  that.  In  the  case  of  a  person  of 
an  indifferent  character,  it  would  have  worked.  But 


RECONCILIATION   AXD    IMSCOVERIES.  209 

out  of  the  movement,  weak  as  it  was.  I  made  a  grand 
capital.  The  way  I  ridiculed  the  trick,  laughed  at  its 
folly,  stood  by  my  young  friend  with  tears  in  my  eyes, 
and  poured  a  stream  of  indignant  eloquence  against  the 
vile  plotter,  rendered  me  doubly  dear  to  Llewelyn  and 
to  all  his  friends.  This  proof  of  my  burning  friendship 
made  my  after  movements  much  more  safe.  Mr.  Pugh 
soon  saw  that  no  half-way  measures  would  answer,  and 
in  harmony  with  his  direction,  as  made  known  to  my 
chief,  and  with  the  knowledge  that  the  sum  agreed  up- 
on had  been  promptly  advanced,  I  at  once  went  to 
work  in  a  more  sensible  way. 

"  The  boat  disaster  was  well  conceived,  and  carried 
out  to  the  letter.  In  a  spot  where  I  thought  no  one 
could  see  us,  I  fell  into  the  lake,  and  like  a  stone  I 
went  down.  I  came  up,  and  being  unable  to  swim — 
ha!  ha! — I  cried  for  help.  He  reached  over  the  side 
of  the  boat  and  took  hold  of  my  hands.  Then  came 
that  frantic  pull  which  brought  him  into  the  water  as 
quick  as  lightning,  and  lie  went  down  like  a  piece  of 
lead.  I  then  made  for  the  boat,  and  pushed  it  off  some 
distance,  clinging  to  the  stern.  Edwards  came  up, 
blowing  and  struggling,  and  there  I  was,  longing  to 
save  him,  but  couldn't!  Ha!  ha!  I  knew  he  would 
come  up  again,  and  with  tears  in  my  eyes,  you  under- 
stand, I  was  preparing  for  a  last  farewell,  when  a  boat, 
with  two  men  in  it,  shot  by  me  like  an  arrow,  and  when 


210  LLAXGOBA1TH. 

Llewelyn  came  up  he  was  grabbed  by  one  of  the  stu- 
dents, and  taken  into  the  boat.  Didn't  I  inwardly  damn 
those  fellows?  Edwards,  fearing  the  laughter  of  his 
fellow  students  if  the  thing  should  be  known,  begged 
of  his  rescuers  to  say  nothing  about  it,  and  they  prom- 
ised. 

"  That  evening,  after  a  most  friendly  interview  with 
Edwards,  I  bade  him  good  bye  for  a  few  weeks,  to  visit 
my  father  and  sister  at  Cardiff. 

"With  Miss  Thomas,  the  parting  interview  was  af- 
fecting. She  believes  that  Mr.  Jenkins  is  on  the  very 
threshold  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  that  soon  he 
will  be  an  ornament  to  the  Christian  ministry.  As  a 
token  of  affection,  I  took  from  her  the  trifling  sum  of 
fifty  pounds,  which,  like  a  thoroughly  honest  man,  I 
delivered  to  my  chief,  as  I  have  thousands  of  pounds 
before.  She  will  not  miss  her  coin  for  a  long  time,  and 
when  she  does  find  out  the  deficiency,  her  friend  Mr- 
Jenkins  will  be  above  suspicion. 

"  You  see,  gentlemen,  that  I  have  been  true  to  my 
engagements.  The  lake  undertaking  was  one  of  my 
best,  and  I  shall  be  proud  of  it  as  long  as  I  live.  I 
have  a  project  in  my  mind  that  cannot  fail.  It  is  so 
ingenious  as  to  astonish  myself.  As  yet  it  is  not  fully 
matured.  With  the  assistance  of  my  chief,  I  shall  be 
ready  to  report  at  our  next  meeting." 


RECONCILIATION   AND   DISCOVERIES.  211 

"And  when  shall  we  meet  again,  and  at  what  hour?" 
asked  Fugh. 

"  On  the  night  of  the  day  after  to-morrow,  at  mid- 
night," said  Simon  Spike. 

"  But  let  there  be  no  light  on  the  hill  to  look  for  a 
two  and  sixpenny  knife,"  said  Scroggs. 

"  Now  let  us  drink !"  said  Lucas. 

"  Yes,  pass  around  the  bottle  !''  said  Scroggs.  And 
while  this  closing  ceremony  was  going  on  at  the  "  bow- 
er," Taliesin  and  Robin,  with  beating  hearts,  were  on 
their  way  homeward. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

LEGAL    CONSULTATION. 

The  two  students  who  rescued  Llewelyn  from  his 
desperate  condition,  had  faithfully  kept  their  promise 
of  secrecy.  They  had  also  endeavored  to  believe  that 
it  was  an  accident.  In  that,  however,  they  were  not 
successful.  The  more  they  thought  of  it,  the  stronger 
became  their  convictions  that  Mr.  Jenkins'  movements 
were  deliberately  planned,  and  murderous  in  their  in- 
tent. 

On  one  afternoon  they  were  seated  on  an  embank- 
ment overlooking  the  lake,  admiring  its  pacific  appear- 
ance. 

"  About  there  is  the  spot  where  we  saved  Edwards/' 
said  Phillips,  pointing  to  a  certain  part  of  the  lake. 
"  I  wonder  that  such  a  bright  intellect  does  not  suspect 
foul  play." 

"  It  is  owing  to  the  wonderful  goodness  of  his  heart," 
said  Griffiths.  "  He  is  as  unsuspecting  as  a  child.  He 
thinks  well  of  every  one  as  long  as  he  possibly  can. 
While  this  is  a  noble  Christian  virtue,  yet,  when  wick- 
ed, designing  men  take  advantage  of  it,  it  is  well  to 
put  our  friend  on  his  guard.  It  is  evident  that  he  has 
malicious  enemies  that  seek  his  hurt,  and  that  this 


LEGAL    CONSULTATION.  213 

Jenkins  is  a  hired  agent  in  the  interest  of  these  enemies. 
He  has  left,  and  the  people  shed  tears  when  he  depart- 
ed. But  he  gave  them  the  consoling  assurance  that 
he  would  come  again.  If  he  returns,  I  fear  there  will 
be  another  accident.''1 

"  George,"   said   Phillips,  "  let  us  have  a  plain  talk 
with  Mr.  Edwards.     There  is  no  time  to  be  lost." 

They  were  about  starting  for  the  town,  when  the 
subject  of  their  conversation  suddenly  joined  them. 

"Edwards,  we  are  glad  to  see  you!"    said  Phillips. 
"We  were  conversing  about  you. 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  consider  me  worthy  of  your  at- 
tention," said  Llewelyn,  with  a  pleasant  smile. 

"  We  shall  take  the  liberty  of  asking  you  a  few  ques- 
tions," said  Griffiths. 

"And  I  shall  answer  them  to  the  best  of  my  ability," 
said  Llewelyn. 

"  Have  you  those  who  cherish  toward  you  feelings  of 
hatred  ?"  asked  Phillips. 

"  I  have  at  least  two  malicious  enemies,"  was  the  an- 
swer. 

"If   they  wish  to  hurt  you   through  an  agent,  can 
they  furnish  money  ?"  asked  Griffiths. 

"As  to  that,  both  have  abundance  of   gold,"  was  the 
reply. 

"  Have  you  not   suspected  that  such  an  agent  was 
seen  at  Bala  ?"  was  the  next  question. 


214  LLANOOBAITH. 

"When  Mr.  Jenkins  left,  I  felt  as  if  I  had  lost  a 
friend,"  said  Mr.  Edwards.  "I  am  now  well  convinced 
that  he  is  a  knave  and  a  murderer.  Under  this  impres- 
sion, I  now  seek  your  advice.  I  am  ashamed  that  I 
have  been  thus  duped,  and  from  henceforth  1  shall  be 
more  on  my  watch." 

"  My  advice  is  this,"  said  Phillips.  "Write  to  your 
friends  and  ask  them  to  be  on  their  watch  in  regard  to 
the  movements  of  these  enemies.  In  all  probability, 
Jenkins  is  now  in  that  region,  in  consultation  with  his 
emploj'ers." 

"  My  friends  are  already  on  the  alert,"  said  Llewelyn, 
"  and  I  have  great  confidence  in  their  skill." 

"  Edwards,  please  keep  us  posted  in  regard  to  this 
matter,"  said  Griffiths. 

*•  I  will  certainly  do  that,"  said  Edwards,  and  the 
three  students  slowly  walked  together  toward  the  vil- 
lage. 


After  they  had  left  the  rear  of  the  bower,  it  was  some 
time  before  Taliesin  and  Robin  uttered  one  word.  The 
complete  success  of  their  undertaking  gave  them  won- 
derful bodily  vigor,  and  they  found  themselves  at  Mr. 
Roberts'  mansion  before  they  were  aware.  So  careful 
was  Taliesin  in  regard  to  keeping  the  matter  a  secret, 
that  he  took  Robin,  at  that  late  hour  of  the  night,  into 
his  own  chamber,  in  order  to  give  him  instruction. 


LEGAL    CONSULTATION.  215 

The  parents  were  somewhat  disturbed,  but  a  few  words 
from  their  son  quieted  them. 

"  Hooray,  Robin !''  cried  Taliesiu.  "  we've  got  them ! 
To-morrow,  or  rather  this  morning,  I  shall  go  to  Ban- 
gor  and  make  a  full  statement  to  Parry  Jones.  We 
shall  call  for  you  at  the  proper  time :  so  now  you  may 
go,  and  don't  even  mention  the  thing  to  a  living  per- 
son until  the  villains  are  secured." 

"You  may  trust  Robin  Jones!'  was  the  answer,  as 
he  bade  Taliesin  good  night,  and  he  was  soon  on  his 
way  toward  Druid's  Grove.  Robin's  chamber  was  not 
in  the  house  proper,  but  in  a  small  adjoining  building, 
and  he  was  at  liberty  to  go  or  come  at  his  pleasure, 
and  so  his  absence  or  return  was  not  often  noticed. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Roberts."  said  Parry  Jones,  "  you  must 
have  taken  an  early  start.  A  little  excited,  eh  ?  Found 
out  something,  I  judge.  I  knew  we  were  on  the  right 
trail.  Now  what  is  it?" 

"  Mr.  Jones,  I  would  be  pleased  to  see  you  for  a  while 
at  j'our  private  office,  sir."  saidTuHesin.  "I  have  made 
very  important  discoveries." 

"Tom,"  said  the  lawyer  to  an  office  boy,  "if  any  one 
comes  in  to  inquire  for  me,  you  may  say  that  I  am  en- 
gaged for  an  hour,  and  am  not  to  be  disturbed,"  and 
to  the  private  office  they  went. 

The  reader  is  already  aware  of  what  the  young  law 
student  had  to  reveal.  He  made  a  full  statement  of 


21G  LLAXGOBAITH. 

what  Robin  Jones  had  heard  in  the  field,  and  of  what 
they  both  had  heard  at  the  bower 

"Nicely  done,  Roberts!"  said  the  lawyer.  "Capital! 
There,  give  Robin  Jones  that,  as  a  present  from  ine," 
and  he  threw  half  a  sovereign  on  the  table,  which  Tal- 
iesin  took  with  a  respectful  bow.  The  barrister  then 
took  a  pen  and  in  a  very  short  time  filled  a  page  of 
legal  paper,  folded  it  and  handed  it  to  Taliesin. 

"  Take  that  and  give  it  to  Justice  Ormsby,"  he  said. 
"  On  your  way,  call  on  Constable  Jarvis,  and  take  him 
with  you.  You  will  be  .sworn,  and  as  I  am  the  counsel 
for  the  Crown,  I  will  see  that  Jarvis  has  force  enough 
to  tie  up  the  mean  devils  before  they  know  what  is  the 
matter.  Be  sure  and  have  Jarvis  come  with  you  to  my 
office.'' 

Taliesin  did  as  directed.  The  justice  read  the  paper 
and  remarked : 

"  This  is  a  very  serious  case.  Your  preparation  is 
very  thorough."  He  then  prepared  the  papers,  and 
Taliesin,  as  a  witness,  swore  to  their  truth. 

;< Jarvis,"  said  the  justice,  "take  these  and  proceed 
according  to  your  best  judgment." 

The  constable  bowed,  and  with  Taliesin  went  into 
the  office  of  the  Crown  Advocate. 

"Jarvis,  you  have  a  job  on  hand  that  will  do  you 
honor,"  said  the  barrister.  "  Two  of  those  fellows,  if 
they  are  not  instantly  subdued,  will  fight  like  devils. 


LEGAL   CONSULTATION.  217 

You  must  take  sufficient  force  to  make  a  sure  thing  of  it.' 

"That  I  will  certainly  do,"  said  Jarvis,  "and  your 
Honor  knows  what  luck  I  generally  have  in  this  line." 

"  There  is  not  a  better  officer  in  the  principality,' 
said  Parry  Jones,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  head 
constable. 

*•  I  presume  Mr.  Roberts  will  be  glad  to  give  me  all 
the  information  that  he  can  in  regard  to  the  locality," 
said  Mr.  Jarvis. 

"I  shall  not  only  do  that,  but  I  shall  be  with  you, 
and  so  will  Robin  Jones,"  was  the  reply. 

Jarvis  then  took  a  blank  book  out  of  his  pocket, 
asked  several  questions  and  put  down  the  answers. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Roberts,"  said  he,  "  please  pay  strict  at- 
tention to  what  I  say.  Be  near  the  spot  to-morrow 
morning  before  daylight.  When  it  becomes  light 
enough  for  you  to  see  objects  clearly,  seek  the  bower 
and  mark  the  shot-test  distance  to  reach  it  from  the 
hill.  Walk  it  a  number  of  times  over,  until  you  are 
sure  that  you  will  know  the  way  in  the  dark.  Notice 
well  the  surroundings  of  their  retreat.  Select  a  good 
spot  where  we  may  be  safe,  and  yet  near  enough  to  see 
and  hear.  Select  some  tree,  stone,  or  some  other  ob- 
ject by  which  you  can  tell  the  exact  place  where  we 
enter  the  valley.  When  you  leave  the  woods  for  home, 
let  it  be  at  quite  a  distance  from  the  bower.  By  half- 
past  ten  we  must  be  on  the  ground.  See  to  it  that 


218  LLANGOBAJTH. 

Robin  Jones  is  at  your  father's  as  early  as  nine  o'clock. 
You  may  look  for  rue  and  rny  force  soon  after  dark.  I 
shall  come  first,  the  others  will  follow  at  short  inter- 
vals. You  have  done  finely,  and  I  can  trust  you  with- 
out the  least  fear."  And  Jarvis  went  his  way. 

"We  can  rest  assured  that  he  will  make  a  clean  job 
of  it,"  said  the  lawyer.  "In  an  undertaking  of  this 
kind  he  is  in  his  element.  He  is  cool,  strong,  and 
abounding  in  courage." 

"  Mr.  Roberts,"  he  continued,  "  we  have  known  that 
there  has  been  a  gang  of  well- trained,  murderous  bur- 
glars that  have  long  troubled  the  principality  and  parts 
of  England,  and  have  so  far  escaped.  I  am  now  of  the 
opinion  that  this  Simon  Spike  is  at  the  head  of  the 
thieving  gang.  If  so,  Mr.  Roberts,  in  finding  out  this 
villain,  you  have  conferred  a  lasting  favor  upon  the 
whole  country.  This  exploit  is  worth  more  to  you 
than  a  thousand  pounds.  Robin  Jones'  name  also  will 
be  favorably  known." 

"  But  the  thing  is  not  yet  accomplished,"  said  Tal- 
iesin  with  a  smile. 

"  Not  fully ;  but  it  is  in  such  a  shape  that  its  com- 
plete success  is  only  a  question  of  less  than  forty-eight 
hours,"  said  Parry  Jones.  "  You  have  been  deprived  of 
rest ;  to-night  you  will  find  but  little  sleep,  and  to-mor- 
row night  less  yet.  Now  the  best  advice  I  can  give  you, 
young  man,  is  to  go  to  bed.  In  view  of  what  you  have  to 
to  perform,  you  had  better  take  this  needed  rest  at  home. " 


CHAPTEK  XX. 

THE    ARKEST. 

We  have  barely  mentioned  the  lady  who  was  known 
by  those  who  lived  in  the  mountain  pass,  as  "  the  wife 
of  old  Spike."  This  adjective  "  old ''  was  not  used  to 
show  that  the  person  it  qualified  had  reached  advanced 
age,  but  rather  to  distinguish  one  Spike  from  another 
one  of  more  recent  date.  This  woman  was  never  seen 
away  from  her  own  premises.  She  was  small  in  stat- 
ure, of  a  sad  countenance,  and  avoided  all  conversation 
with  her  few  neighbors.  The  impression  was  left  on 
the  minds  of  all  that  saw  her,  that  she  was  very  far 
from  being  happy.  The  following  will  throw  some 
light  upon  the  situation : 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  you  blasted  fool,  or  111  choke 
the  breath  out  of  you !"  said  Spike,  looking  at  the  little 
woman  with  the  ferociousness  of  a  very  cross  tiger. 
"Attend  to  your  own  business,  will  you?  and  the  boy 
and  myself  will  attend  to  ours !  I  say  again,  hold  your 
tongue !" 

"Simon  Spike,"  said  the  little  woman,  in  a  low  but 
firm  voice,  "I  have  held  my  tongue  for  years,  while  my 
heart  has  been  ready  to  break.  I  have  been  your 
slave ;  I  have  run  at  your  command ;  I  have  made 


220  LLANGOBA1TH. 

no  reply  to  your  abusive  language.  At  last  I  have 
summoned  up  courage,  and  I  have  thrown  off  fear. 
I  have  something  to  say;  say  it  I  will,  and  don't 
you  interrupt  me,  at  your  peril !  You  look  aston- 
ished, Simon  Spike !  I  am  astonished  at  myself,  and  I 
can  hardly  believe  it  is  my  own  voice.  With  a  lying 
tongue  you  enticed  me  away  from  a  good  home,  and 
the  paths  of  virtue,  into  a  life  of  sin  and  shame.  You 
promised  to  become  my  lawful  husband,  and  after- 
wards you  laughed  at  me  and  pronounced  it  a  joke. 
You  gave  me  the  charge  of  your  little  boy.  With  him 
for  a  while  I  took  some  comfort,  hoping  that  he  would 
be  a  better  man  than  his  father.  In  this  I  have  been 
disappointed.  Already  he  is  rough,  and  every  day  I 
suffer  his  abuse.  After  this  I  learned  that  I  was  the 
mistress  of  a  master  burglar.  Gold  you  found  in  abun- 
dance, procured  by  thieving  hands.  You  are  engaged 
in  the  same  bad  business  now,  if  not  in  something 
worse,  and  your  son  willingly  joins  in  the  wicked  plot- 
tings.  What  means  this  absence  from  home  until  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  so  often  daring  the  last  few 
weeks,  and  why  this  close  consultation  with  Scroggs? 
You  think  I  have  not  seen  him.  Curb  your  anger  for 
a  little  while  longer,  Simon  Spike !  I  will  soon  stop. 
It  is  my  first  utterance  and  it  may  be  my  last.  Give 
up  this  dreadful  way  of  living.  The  curse  of  God  is 
hanging  over  our  heads  !  Settle  down  with  your  son, 


THE   ARREST.  221 

and  lead  an  honest  life,  and  after  so  many  years,  do 
justice  to  one  that  you  have  degraded  and  abused.  Si- 
mon Spike,  will  you  do  it  ?" 

The  pent-up  wrath  of  Spike  now  broke  loose  like  a 
rushing  torrent.  His  face  was  livid  with  auger.  With 
gnashed  teeth  and  threatening  gestures  he  poured  out 
a  volley  of  abusive  epithets. 

"  I  have  been  a  fool  to  let  your  cursed  tongue  run  on 
so  long.  Will  I  'settle  down  and  lead  an  honest 
life  f  Ha,  ha !  I  will  lead  the  life  I  choose,  and  come 
home  when  I  please.  To-night,  again,  we  go  on  a 
pleasure  excursion,  and  to-morrow,  if  Charlotte  Bruce 
will  venture  another  sermon,  I  shall  have  the  pleasure 
of  pulling  her  nose  and  spitting  in  her  face." 

"  That  is  a  fair  warning,"  said  Charlotte,  "  and  I  will 
take  it  under  consideration,"  and  in  her  countenance 
was  seen  a  decided  purpose. 


An  hour  before  the  dawn,  Taliesin  was  on  the  hill 
overlooking  the  wooded  valley.  As  soon  as  daylight 
appeared,  without  any  delay,  he  went  in  search  of  a 
convenient  passageway.  He  carefully  surveyed  every 
opening.  At  last  he  came  to  what  seemed  to  be  an 
ancient  cowpath,  and  in  the  loose  earth  he  plainly  saw 
marks  of  heavy  footsteps.  He  at  once  concluded  that 
this  was  the  conspirators'  entrance,  and  that  it  would 
lead  to  their  secret  resort.  Far  sooner  than  he  expect- 


222  LLAKQOBAITH, 

ed,  he  found  himself  in  front  of  the  structure.  His 
next  search  was  for  a  safe  and  convenient  hiding-place. 
Here  again  he  was  fortunate,  for  one  side  of  the  bower 
rested  against  heavy  underbrush,  where  a  number  of 
persons  in  the  dark  could  rest  unseen.  With  a  strong 
pocket-knife  he  cleared  a  spot  sufficiently  large  to  ac- 
commodate the  expected  company.  He  then,  as  direct- 
ed by  Mr.  Jarvis,  went  over  the  ground  several  times, 
until  the  whole  path  was  clear  to  his  mind.  At  the  en- 
trance to  the  valley  there  was  a  large  stone,  which  in 
the  night  would  prove  an  unmistakable  guide.  Having 
fully  satisfied  himself  on  every  point,  he  left  for  home, 
while  most  of  his  neighbors  were  yet  in  the  embrace 
of  sleep. 

The  first  arrival  at  "  Cae  'r  Eithin,"  in  the  evening, 
was  Robin  Jones,  who  was  already  fully  instructed  in 
the  program.  Next  came  Jarvis ;  and  after  him,  at 
short  intervals,  came  four  able-bodied  men  fully  armed. 
To  relieve  bis  parents1  mind,  Taliesin  had  partially  ex- 
plained to  them  the  nature  of  these  movements. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Roberts,"  said  Jarvis,  "  first  of  all  we 
will  hear  your  report." 

"  I  have  made  a  thorough  survey,"  said  Taliesin, 
"and  am  ready  to  lead  you  to  the  spot  without  the 
least  trouble.  I  have  also  prepared  a  safe  hiding-place 
close  to  the  bower." 

"  You  and  your  friend  here  are  worthy  of  all  praise," 


THE   ARREST.  223 

said  the  chief  constable.  "  My  men  are  fully  instruct- 
ed. What  is  said  must  be  said  here.  Not  a  word  must 
be  spoken  on  the  way,  or  even  after  we  get  there,  until 
we  rush  upon  the  gang.  At  a  given  time,  when  we 
shall  have  fully  learned  their  future  prospects  at  Bala, 
I  and  my  men  will  fall  upon  them.  Let  Mr.  Roberts 
and  his  friend  Jones  follow  at  their  leisure.  Now,  Mr. 
Roberts,  we  are  ready  to  start.  You  and  your  friend 
may  lead.  March !" 

They  moved  rapidly,  and  with  very  little  noise.  They 
avoided  the  road,  and  went  across  the  fields.  They 
soon  reached  the  entrance,  and  in  a  very  short  time 
they  stood  by  the  bower.  Jarvis  with  his  men,  as  far 
as  the  darkness  would  permit,  closely  examined  the  sur- 
roundings. He  then  gave  signs  for  Taliesin  to  pro- 
ceed, and  in  a  minute  more  they  were  all  seated  within 
a  few  inches  of  the  cabin,  encircled  by  an  undergrowth 
which  rendered  their  hiding-place  perfectly  safe.  The 
excitement  which  the  occasion  produced,  measurably 
relieved  the  monotony  of  their  dark  and  silent  retreat. 
The  time  soon  passed,  and  the  hour  of  midnight  ar- 
rived. Every  heart  beat  a  little  faster,  while  each  ear 
keenly  watched  for  the  coming  of  the  conspirators.  At 
last  they  heard  low  voices  near  by,  and  the  next  min- 
ute the  four  villains  were  within  what  they  considered 
their  safe  council  chamber. 

A  lantern  was  uncovered,  and  Jarvis  was  glad  to  know 


224  LLANGOBAITH. 

that  through  the  brush  he  could  partially  see  the  plot- 
ters, as  well  as  hear  their  words. 

"  I  feel  a  little  easier  now  tnan  I  did  night  before 
last,"  said  Scroggs.  "  Fortunately,  Pugh  did  not  drop 
his  knife,  and  we  had  no  illumination  on  the  hill." 

"  That  was  careless  in  me,  I  know,"  said  Pugh,  "but 
we  are  all  safe." 

"Now  to  business!"  said  Simon  Spike. 

"  I  move  that  the  first  item  be  a  little  inspiration 
from  this,"  said  Lucas,  producing  a  well-filled  bottle. 
"What  say  you,  Mr.  Scroggs?" 

"  We  have  had  a  long  walk,"  said  the  operator. 
"  Yes,  pass  around  the  inspiration !  Ha,  ha !  Pugh, 
that's  a  good  one." 

The  first  item  having  been  disposed  of,  Scroggs  as- 
sumed the  charge  of  the  meeting. 

"Our  stay  to-night  in  this  quiet  spot  will  not  be  long. 
We  have  but  1'ttle  to  do.  For  the  benefit  of  Mr.  Pugh, 
for  whom  I  entertain  very  high  regards,  and  who  has 
not  been  at  all  backward  in  furnishing  funds,  I  will 
say  that  I  have  matured  a  plan  that  will  in  the  end  give 
him  perfect  satisfaction.  My  worthy  chief  has  given  it 
his  full  endorsement  as  a  .scheme  possessing  great 
merit,  and  has  given  me  some  very  valuable  hints  in  re- 
gard to  its  faithful  execution.  Some  time  may  be  re- 
quired to  perfect  the  arrangements,  and  to  make  my- 
self doubly  dear  to  my  bosom  friend.  Now  let  me 


THE    ABREST.  225 

give  you  a  piece  of  good  advice.  "When  the  heart- 
rending news  reaches  Llaugobaith  that  by  an  accidental 
discharge  of  a  pistol  in  the  hands  of  Miss  Thomas,  that 
Llewelyn  Edwards  lost  his  life,  let  not  grief  completely 
overwhelm  you.  Be  moderate  in  your  sorrow.  My 
own  grief  on  that  occasion  will  be  frantic  enough  to 
answer  for  the  whole  company.  Oh.  how  I  shall  weep ! 
I  need  not  give  you  the  particulars:  but  I  will  assure 
you  that  it  is  as  neat  a  thing  as  I  ever  produced." 

"Mr.  Scroggs  has  not  a  superior  as  an  operator  in 
the  kingdom,"  said  Simon  Spike. 

"  I  hope  your  little  instrument  will  make  a  sui  e  thing 
of  it,"  said  Lucas.  "  My  father  knows  nothing  of  tins, 
and  he  is  too  faint-hearted  to  come  up  to  the  scratch. 
I  get  the  money  from  mother,  who  know*;  all  about  it. 
But  she  cannot  give  much  more  without  creating  suspi- 
cion in  my  father's  mind.  The  final  payment  will  be 
met  when  the  job  is  finished." 

"  Mr.  Pugh,  it  will  be  but  a  short  time  before  you 
will  admit  that  you  have  had  more  than  the  worth  of 
your  money.  I  will  also  say  to  my  young  friend  John 
Spike,  that  before  I  return  to  my  field  of  labor  at  Bala, 
I  will  give  him  the  outlines  of  a  scheme  by  which  he 
«au  bring  a  veiy  fine  disaster  upon  his  old  schoolmate 
Taliesin  Roberts." 

'•My  revenge  will  be  sure!''  cried  John,  under  a  de- 
gree of  inspiration. 


226  LLANGOBAITH. 

"  Let  us  drink  all  around,  and  be  gone,"  said  Simon. 

u  Pugh,  out  with  the  inspiration !"  said  Scroggs. 

"And  let  me  drink  damnation  to  Taliesin  Roberts  !" 
said  John. 

Jarvis  and  his  men  were  instantly  on  their  feet.  With 
silent  tread  they  left  their  hiding-place,  and  rushed 
upon  the  conspirators,  while  a  glare  of  light  filled  the 
bower. 

"  Surrender  as  my  prisoners,  you  murderous  devils!" 
cried  Jarvis,  in*H  voice  that  echoed  through  the  wooded 
valley,  while  a  polished  pistol  was  grasped  by  each  of 
his  men.  "  Surrender  !" 

"  Damnation  !"  cried  old  Spike,  "  I'll  never  surrender  ! 
Come  my  men  let  us  fight  our  way  out!  "  and  he  made 
a  desperate  rush  toward  the  door.  The  but-end  of 
Jarvis'  pistol  knocked  him  senseless. 

"  Put  on  his  ornaments,  Davis !"  said  Jarvis,  "  he  will 
raise  no  objections  at  least  for  a  while.'' 

The  officer  placed  the  burglar's  hands  in  the  vicinity 
of  his  back  and  decorated  his  wrists  with  heavy  irons. 

"  Who  is  the  next  to  try  the  amusing  experiment  of 
running  away  f  asked  Jarvis.  "  Mr.  Scroggs,  do  you 
wish  to  indulge  in  that  recreation  ?" 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Jarvis,"  said  Scroggs,  in  the  most 
polite  manner,  "  I  have  no  taste  for  the  absurdities, 
and  in  unprofitable  amusements  I  never  indulge.  I  ana 


THE   ARREST.  227 

astonished  that  Mr.  Spike  has  so  far  forgotten  his  com- 
mon prudence  as  to  rush  into  seen  danger.  I — ' 

"  That  will  do  for  this  time,"  said  Jarvis.  "  Let  me 
see  what  kind  of  hands  you  have." 

"With  the  utmost  pleasure,  sir.  The  ladies  pro- 
nounce them  fair  and  delicate,"  was  the  answer,  as  he 
gave  the  officer  every  advantage  to  adjust  the  iron  cuffs. 

Pugh  and  John  Spike  were  completely  overwhelmed 
with  terror,  and  made  no  resistance  whatever. 

By  this  time  the  prostrate  Spike  had  partially  re- 
vived, and  was  anything  but  amiable  in  his  speech. 

'*My  deal'  Mr.  Spike,"  said  Scroggs,  "you  seem  to 
be  unduly  excited  You  are  not  in  possession  of  that 
calm  tranquility  of  soul,  that  a  good  Christian  should 
manifest  in  the  dark  day  of  affliction." 

"Stop  your  blarney,  you  infernal  fool !"  cried  Spike. 
"  If  my  hands  were  free,  you  would  not  dare  talk  such 
stuff  as  that  to  me." 

"  Cease  thy  ravings,"  said  Scroggs  in  a  mild  voice. 
'*  I  am  in  the  sauie  adversity  myself ;  but,  with  St.  Paul, 
I  have  learned  "in  whatever  situation  I  am,  therewith 
to  be  content.'  " 

"You  are  a  devoted  Christian,  undoubtedly,"  said 
Jarvis,  "  but,  it  is  getting  late,  your  lodgings  are  at 
some  distance,  and  we  must  leave  this  consecrated  spot." 

"  Adieu  !  sweet  bower,  adieu !"  said  the  poetic  prison- 
er. "  Never  again  shall  thy  walls  resound  to  the  elo- 


"228  LLANGOBAITH. 

quent  fiction  of  Thomas  Adolphus  Scroggs!  Never 
more  shall  thy  evergreen  arches  look  down  and  smile 
upon  a  merry  group  eagerly  sucking  inspiration  from 
the  famous  rum  bottle  of  the  aristocratic  heir  of  River- 
side!" 

Here  the  said  heir,  forgetting  himself,  and  being  con- 
scious that  his 'feet  were  not  handcuffed,  bestowed  a 
most  vigorous  kick  on  a  certain  portion  of  Scroggs' 
corporeal  system,  which  at  that  moment  was  the  most 
easy  of  access. 

Mr.  Scroggs,  being  absolutely  certain  that  some  solid 
substance  had  come  in  very  unpleasant  contact  with 
his  person,  raised  his  manacled  hands  to  a  certain  angle, 
turned  about  quickly,  and  with  violence  brought  the 
iron  wristlets  against  Lucas'  head,  which  laid  him 
prostrate  on  the  ground. 

"  This  must  be  stopped,"  said  Jarvis,  while  a  slight 
smile  rested  on  his  countenance. 

"  That  was  an  unfortunate  accident,"  said  Scroggs, 
with  a  compassionate  look. 

"  It  was  not  an  accident,"  cried  Pugh,  "  and  you  are> 
a  liar  !" 

"Spike,  if  you  refuse  to  get  up  and  walk,"  said  Jar- 
vis,  "my  men  will  drag  you  on  the  ground.  Here, 
Jones  and  Pritchard,  take  hold,  and  start  him,  while 
the  rest  of  us  follow.  Taliesin  Roberts,  lead  us  out  to 
the  hill." 


THE   ARKEST.  229 

They  started,  each  officer  holding  a  weapon  ready 
for  instant  service  if  required.  Spike,  after  some  re 
sistance,  saw  fit  to  walk,  and  the  entrance  was  soon 
reached.  Here  for  a  while  they  halted,  and  Scroggs 
availed  himself  of  the  occasion. 

"Behold  the  memorable  spot  where  the  rich  heir  of 
Riverside,  on  the  night  before  last,  dispelled  the  dark- 
ness of  night,  to  search  for  his  two  and  sixpenny  pocket 
knife  !  Ha,  ha !  To  that  blaze  we  are  indebted  for  this 
grand  entertainment.  In  honor  of  that  event,  forever 
hereafter  let  this  spot  be  known  as  Illumination  Hill." 
"  Mr.  Roberts,  lead  us  to  the  highway,  and  make  the 
distance  as  short  as  possible,"  said  Jarvis;  and  they 
started. 

"  Yea,"  said  Scroggs  as  they  advanced,  "  let  us  reach 
our  destination  with  all  speed.  My  weary  eyelids  long 
for  repose,  and  my  stomach  is  becoming  an  aching  void 
which  ruir  can  never  fill.  So  haste  thee  on,  Taliesin !" 
Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  the  other  prisoners  were 
silent.  Far  from  it.  The  Spike  father  belched  out 
terrible  anathemas  thick  and  fast.  The  sou  spent  his 
vocal  strength  in  hurling  bad  sounding  adjectives  at 
Taliesin,  and  Lucas  poured  out  curses  on  the  head  of 
Robin  Jones. 

They  had  now  reached  the  highway.  Jarvis  stood 
on  the  top  of  a  stone  wall  and  swung  his  lantern  for 
some  thirty  seconds. 


230  LLANGOBAITH. 

"What  is  that  contemptible  scoundrel  at  now?" 
asked  Lucas. 

"  My  dear  Pugh,"  answered  Scroggs,  "  I  am  deeply 
shocked  to  hear  such  an  unguarded  expression  from  a 
youth  brought  up  religiously !  '  Speak  not  evil  of 
magistrates,'  is  the  language  of  the  good  book.  Alas  ! 
I  see  that  the  prayers  and  godly  admonitions  of  your 
devoted  parents  have  proved  unavailing!  The  swing- 
ing of  the  lantern,  is  a  signal  for  the  horsemen  and 
chariots  of  Israel,  to  hasten  hither  to  convey  Mr.  Jarvis' 
distinguished  guests  to  that  city  that  has  a  cathedral, 
even  Bangor,  which  quietly  nestles  between  the  hills." 

Scroggs'  judgment  was  correct.  A  couple  of  two- 
horse  chariots  arrived  on  the  spot  with  ample  accom- 
modations, and  the  prisoners  were  properly  arranged. 

"  Mr.  Roberts  and  Mr.  Jones,  you  will  save  me  much 
extra  labor  by  being  present  at  Bangor,  in  the  morning 
at  ten  o'clock,"  said  Mr.  Jarvis. 

"  And  ere  we  part,"  said  Scroggs,  putting  his  head 
out  of  the  carriage,  let  me  assure  Roberts  and  Jones, 
that  their  calm  and  modest  behavior  under  great  provo- 
cation, has  secured  my  most  profound  admiration.  If 
ever  in  their  wanderings  they  should  come  near  my  city 
residence  or  country  seat,  I  hope  they  will  call  and  en- 
joy my  grateful  hospitality." 

The  chariots  left,  and  Taliesin  and  Robin  went  to 
their  respective  homes. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

A    MIDNIGHT    QUARREL,    AND    A    FLIGHT. 

Oue  night,  at  somewhat  of  a  late  hour,  Liewelyn 
reached  his  lodgings  from  an  appointment  at  a  Meth- 
odist chapel  about  three  miles  from  the  town  of  Bala. 
He  was  no  sooner  in  his  room  than  Mr.  Ellis  handed 
him  a  letter  which  he  had  brought  from  the  post  of- 
fice. The  familiar  handwriting  made  his  heart  throb. 
He  fondly  gazed  at  the  address,  while  he  admired 
the  beautiful  penmanship.  "But  how  is  this?"  said  he, 
" Zilangobaith ?"  and  his  heart  beat  quicker.  "Is  it 
possible  that  Thomas  Lloyd — well,  I'll  know  in  a  mo- 
ment!" And  the  letter  was  opened.  He  read  one 
brief  sentence,  looked  up  and  cried,  "  Thank  God !" 
The  letter  was  as  follows : 
"  MY  DEAR  LLEWELYN  : 

Wonderful  things  have  transpired  since  I  wrote  to 
you  last.  I  am  restored  to  my  dear  old  home,  and 
these  lines  are  penned  in  that  familiar  room  that  I  have 
called  my  own  ever  since  I  can  remember.  Three  days 
ago,  a  little  after  sunset,  my  uncle's  clerk  brought  into 
the  house  a  number  of  letters,  some  for  my  uncle  and 
others  for  myself.  The  one  from  Bala  I  expected. 
But  judge  of  my  astonishment  when  I  saw  one  from 
my  father!  I  opened  it,  and  the  first  sentence  almost 


232  LLAXGOBAITH. 

overwhelmed  me.  With  his  consent,  I  enclose  it  to 
you,  together  with  a  few  lines  from  my  Aunt  Grace.  I 
am  very,  very  happy!  My  cup  of  enjoyment  is  run- 
ning over.  The  Lord  has  been  better  to  us  than  all 
of  our  fears.  Papa  treats  me  with  a  new  kind  of  af- 
fection. He  is  much  more  quiet  and  subdued.  I  fear 
that  he  is  not  yet  a  Christian.  Let  us  pray  for  him. 
The  wonderful  change  already  wrought,  is  a  proof  that 
more  can  be  accomplished.  I  have  a  sweet  hope  that 
dear  papa  will  yet  be  a  child  of  God. 

I  am  heartily  glad  that  your  Mr.  Jenkins  has  left 
Bala.  If  he  returns,  as  I  fear  he  will,  I  beg  of  you  not 
to  admit  him  into  your  confidence.  I  have  my  strong 
fears  that  he  is  a  base  deceiver.  Dear  Llewelyn,  be 
very  watchful.  I  have  not  seen  Helen  since  I  came 
home,  but  we  shall  meet  before  many  hours.  May 
heaven  bless  and  protect  you,  is  the  earnest  prayer  of 
your  own  dear 

GWENNIE." 

By  this  time  the  young  theological  student  was  on 
a  higher  pinacle  of  enjoyment,  according  to  his  best 
judgment,  than  at  any  former  period  of  his  life. 

On  this  same  night  there  had  been  a  large,  enthusi- 
astic meeting  at  the  Methodist  chapel,  for  the  purpose 
of  relieving  the  house  of  worship  from  an  embarrass- 
ing debt.  The  effort  had  been  highly  successful,  and 
the  sum  realized  quite  large.  Among  the  liberal  sub- 
scriptions was  one  from  Miss  Thomas  for  fifty  pounds. 
This  lady  was  proverbially  liberal  in  all  worthy  enter- 


A   MIDNIGHT    QUARREL   AND   A   FLIGHT.  233 

prises,  especially  those  directly  connected  with  the 
gospel. 

The  next  morning  Miss  Thomas  met  Llewelyn  in 
one  of  the  passages,  and  smilingly  said — 

"Mr.  Edwards,  we  greatly  missed  you  last  night, 
and  you  lost  a  highly  interesting  meeting." 

"I  am  sure  of  that,"  said  the  young  man.  "I  am 
very  happy  to  hear  that  the  effort  was  such  a  grand 


"O,  I  am  delighted!"  said  the  young  lady,  while 
her  animated  countenance  gave  clear  evidence  of  the 
joy  of  her  heart.  "  I  had  the  pleasure  of  handing  in 
my  name  for  fifty  pounds,  and  I  know  by  experience 
that  '  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.' " 

"At  that,  your  share  of  blessedness  must  be  large," 
said  Edwards,  "  for  your  giving  is  quite  extensive." 

"It  is  not  worth  mentioning,"  said  Miss  Thomas. 
"But  the  little  I  do  give  affords  me  much  pleasure. 
Mr.  Edwards,  seeing  that  you  go  to  the  Institute,  will 
you  be  so  kind  as  to  hand  my  subscription  to  Professor 
Davies,  who  is  the  treasurer?" 

"I  will  do  so  with  pleasure,  Miss  Thomas,"  said 
Llewelyn. 

"  Thank  you.     I  will  run  into  my  room  and  get  it. 
I  laid  by  that  sum  for  that  very  purpose  some  time 
ago,"  and  ske  left. 
15 


234  LLANGOBAITH. 

She  was  gone  a  long  time,  and  at  last  she  asked  Mr. 
Edwards  to  come  up  stairs. 

He  found  her  in  the  sitting-room,  with  a  reflective 
look  upon  her  countenance. 

"I  have  arrived  at  another  mysterious  event  in  my 
lif e !"  said  she.  "  That  gold  watch  transaction  remains. 
a  mystery.  I  have  now  discovered  that  fifty  pounds 
have  been  taken  from  a  locked  drawer  hi  my  desk !" 

"  Miss  Thomas,"  said  Llewelyn,  with  perfect  calm- 
ness, "  your  watch  was  found  in  iny  possession,  and  I 
would  be  pleased  to  have  every  article  moved  from  my 
trunk  in  your  presence." 

"If  the  money  is  in  your  trunk,  it  was  put  there  by 
the  same  thieving  hand  that  took  the  watch,"  said  Miss 
Thomas.  Let  the  knowledge  of  this  matter  be  con- 
fined to  us  two;  at  least  for  the  present.  I  want  no 
uproar  or  excitement.  For  our  own  satisfaction,  you 
may  examine  the  trunk." 

This  was  carefully  done,  to  the  perfect  satisfaction 
of  the  young  lady. 

"I  have  plenty  of  money  in  the  bank,"  said  Miss 
Thomas,  "and  my  subscription  will  be  promptly  paid, 
but  not  to-day." 

"  Miss  Thomas,"  said  Mr.  Edwards,  "pardon  me  if  I 
ask  you  a  few  questions,  for  this  is  a  serious  matter. 
Have  you  any  remembrance  that  at  any  time,  say 
within  two  months,  you  mentioned  this  subject  of 


A   MIDNIGHT   QUABKEL   AND   A   FLIGHT.  235 

church  debt,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  any  person,  or 
in  the  presence  of  any  person?" 

Miss  Thomas  hesitated  a  moment,  and  said,  "I  men- 
tioned this  thing  to  Mr.  Jenkins,  and  gave  him  a  hint 
that  if  he  wanted  an  object  worthy  of  his  benevolence, 
it  was  our  church  debt." 

"And  what  did  he  say  ?" 

"  O,  he  seemed  to  be  interested  at  once,  as  he  al- 
ways was  in  everything  that  was  good,"  said  Miss 
Thomas  with  a  moderate  sigh. 

"  Did  you  tell  him  that  you  intended  to  give  some- 
thing yourself  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  if  I  am  not  mistaken  I  told  him  that  I  had 
laid  by  a  sum  for  that  purpose.  But,  has  not  this 
questioning  in  regard  to  Mr.  Jenkins  a  strange  appear- 
ance, Mr.  Edwards?" 

"  I  was  sure  you  would  think  it  strange,"  said  Llew- 
elyn, "  and  you  will  think  it  more  so  when  I  tell  you  in 
all  sincerity  that  I  fully  believe  that  this  very  Mr.  Jen- 
kins that  you  and  I  have  so  confided  in,  and  looked 
upon  as  a  perfect  gentleman,  is  a  thorough  scoundrel, 
an  accomplished  thief,  and  a  would-be  murderer." 

For  a  while  Miss  Thomas  looked  on  her  young  friend 
in  utter  astonishment.  She  turned  pale,  and  then  her 
color  returned.  At  last  she  spoke — 

"  Mr.  Edwards,  I  have  always  looked  upon  you  as  a 
man  of  deep  sense  and  good  judgment,  and  I  exceed- 


236  LLANGOBAITH. 

ingly  regret  that  anything  has  transpired  which  com- 
pels me  to  change  my  opinion." 

"Your  regret  cannot  be  greater  than  niy  own,  Miss 
Thomas,"  said  Llewelyn,  "for  I  hold  your  favorable 
opinion  in  very  high  esteem.  I  have  expressed  to  you 
my  firm  convictions.  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  it  was 
his  hands  that  took  your  watch  and  put  it  in  my  trunk, 
that  it  was  he  who  wrote  that  letter  to  the  Carnarvon 
Herald,  and  that  it  was  he  who  stole  your  fifty 
pounds." 

"But  in  the  matter  of  the  watch,  did  he  not  elo- 
quently and  with  tears  in  his  eyes  declare  you  inno- 
cent? And  did  he  not  ridicule  the  plot  as  silly  and 
ludicrous?  And  did  he  not  on  that  occasion  endear 
himself  to  un  all  ?"  asked  Miss  Thomas. 

"  That  he  did,"  was  the  reply.  "  But  he  had  accom- 
plished his  double  purpose.  First,  under  a  guise  of 
truth  he  could  slander  me.  Again,  it  gave  him  a  fine 
opportunity  to  blind  our  eyes  as  to  his  true  character, 
by  becoming  my  eloquent  champion  and  defender.  In 
this  last  he  was  eminently  successful ;  and  in  this,  as 
far  as  I  can  see,  was  the  only  strength  of  the  plot- 
Jenkins  is  in  the  employ  of  others,  who  pursue  me  with 
deadly  malice." 

"Of  your  enemies  I  know  nothing,"  said  Miss 
Thomas,  coldly.  "  Of  Mr.  Jenkins  I  have  some  knowl- 
edge ;  and  I  cannot  believe  your  monstrous  theory  for 


A    MIDNIGHT    QUABREL   AND    A   FLIGHT.  237 

one  moment.  Mr.  Edwards,  is  it  not  possible  that  of 
late  your  studies  Lave  been  too  hard,  and  that  your 
mental  powers  have  been  too  heavily  taxed  ?" 

"My  studies  are  not  burdensome,"  said  the  young 
man,  with  a  broad  smile.  "I  think.  Miss  Thomas,  I 
am  in  my  right  mind,  and  I  believe  also  that  the  sequel 
will  prove  that  my  theory  is  correct." 

"Let  this  answer  for  the  present,1'  said  Miss  Thomas, 
pleasantly.  "Please  say  nothing  about  this  interview 
or  the  lost  money,  and  I  will  keep  the  same  silence. 
In  regard  to  Mr.  Jenkins  our  opinions  greatly  differ. 
You  believe  him  to  be  a  thieving  knave,  and  I  believe 
him  to  be  a  true  gentleman." 


While  the  exciting  scene  was  going  on  at  the  bower, 
and  while  the  conspirators  were  being  secured  by  the 
strong  arm  of  the  law,  an  uneasiness  and  sleeplessness 
had  crept  into  the  magnificent  bed-chamber,  in  which, 
on  downy  pillows,  were  found  the  heads  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Evan  Pugh. 

"  I  cannot  account  for  his  absence  from  home  night 
after  night  until  such  late  hours,"  said  the  husband, 
with  evident  feeling.  "I  thought  at  first  that  he  staid 
at  the  Bed  Lion ;  but  Mrs.  Owens  assures  me  that  he 
does  not  stay  there.  I  cannot  see  into  it,  and  he  must 
explain  the  matter  to  my  satisfaction." 

"Lucas  knows   what   he  is  about,"   said   his   wife, 


238  LLANGOBAITH. 

sharply.  "  He  has  not  forgotten  the  dirty  insult  heaped 
upon  this  house.  And  are  you  not  aware  that  he  has 
vowed  vengeance  against  the  shop  boy,  and  sworn  that 
that  howling  Methodist  shall  never  wed  Gwennie 
Lloyd  ?  Lucas  knows  w  .at  he  is  about,  and  so  do  I. 
Evan  Pugh !" 

"  Am  I  to  understand  that  you  encourage  that  boy 
in  anything  for  which  he  would  be  arrested  if  it  was 
known  ?"  asked  Pugh. 

"You  may  understand  what  you  choose,"  said  the 
wife.  "Llewelyn  Edwards  will  be  disposed  of  to  my 
perfect  satisfaction,  and  we  must  all  lament  the  painful 
accident." 

"  My  God !"  exclaimed  Pugh,  suddenly  leaving  his 
bed.  "This  is  something  I  never  dreamed  of!  A 
mother  and  son  plotting  against  the  life  of  an  innocent 
man !  Heaven  save  us !  Get  out  of  that  bed  in  one 
moment  and  dress  you  !"  and  he  hastily  put  on  his  own 
garments. 

"I  have  always  said  that  I  married  a  fool !"  said  Mrs. 
Pugh,  while  she  remained  unmoved  upon  the  pillow. 

"  At  that  time  I  was  indeed  a  fool !"  said  the  agitated 
husband.  "  But  I  was  not  aware  that  I  was  bringing 
with  me  to  Riverside  a  woman  that  would  connive  with 
murderers." 

The  lady  of  the  house  was  no  longer  in  bed,  but  on 
the  floor,  and  resorting  to  her  common  mode  of  war- 


A    MIDNIGHT    QUARREL   AND    A    FLIGHT.  239 

fare,  she  was  about  to  hurl  a  water  pitcher  at  the  head 
of  her  husband,  when  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  he 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  would  use  new  tactics. 
He  suddenly  snatched  the  pitcher  from  her  hands,  and 
gave  her  a  proof  of  his  bodily  strength  in  the  shape  of 
a  violent  and  prolonged  shake.  Indeed,  he  was  con- 
scious of  a  degree  of  enjoyment  in  the  new  exercise. 
It  increased  in  violence  until  the  aggressive  party  cried 
for  quarters. 

"  There !"  said  Pugh,  proud  of  his  first  victory.  "  Let 
that  answer  for  the  present.  Now  put  on  your  gar- 
ments and  prepare  yourself  to  answer  some  ques- 
tions." 

The  new  process  had  produced  a  wonderful  change 
in  the  little  lady,  and  to  her  own  astonishment  as  well 
as  that  of  her  husband,  she  found  herself  in  the  very 
act  of  obedience. 

"  Now,  Mrs.  Pugh/'  said  the  master,  "  according  to 
your  own  confession  you  have  given  countenance  to 
a  most  villainous  scheme.  From  whom  besides  does 
Lucas  receive  advice?'' 

"I  shall  answer  no  questions,  Evan  Pugh  !"  said  his 
wife,  with  returned  courage.  "  I  feel  much  more  like 
spitting  in  your  face.  Lucas  will  be  home  in  a  few 
minutes,  and  he  may  answer  you  as  much  as  he 
pleases." 

"If  this  devilish  thing  should  be  found  out,  it  would 


240  LLANGOBAITH. 

result  in  your  transportation  for  life,  if  not  in  your 
death  on  the  gallows,"  said  Pugh. 

"But  it  will  not  be  found  out,"  said  Mrs.  Pugh. 
"It  is  in  the  hands  of  those  who  understand  their 
business." 

"Aye,  business  worthy  of  demons!"  said  the  hus- 
band. 

Just  then  they  heard  the  sound  of  approaching  car- 
riages. They  listened,  and  the  horses  stopped  in  front 
of  their  gate. 

"What  can  this  mean  at  such  a  late  hour  of  the 
night?"  said  Pugh,  in  evident  alarm. 

Heavy  knocking  was  heard  below.  They  both  went 
down,  and  the  husband  opened  the  door.  Standing 
before  him  he  saw  a  man  with  a  lighted  lantern  in  his 
hand  and  heavy  pistols  in  his  belt. 

"  This  is  an  untimely  hour  to  call,  Mr.  Pugh,"  said 
Jarvis,  "but  I  could  not  well  come  sooner.  I  have 
under  arrest  a  gang  of  murderous  conspirators,  who 
have  aimed  at  the  innocent  life  of  Llewelyn  Edwards. 
Among  them  I  find  your  son.  The  others  are  Simon 
Spike,  his  son,  and  an  accomplished  knave  by  the  name 
of  Scroggs.  Their  hiding-place  was  found,  and  their 
guilt  has  been  learned  from  their  own  mouths  by  reli- 
able witnesses.  They  will  be  examined  before  Justice 
Onnsby  this  morning  at  ten  o'clock.  I  thought  it  was 
best  to  let  you  know  it." 


A   MIDNIGHT    QUARREL   AND    A   FLIGHT.  241 

"  Mr.  Jarvis,  I  am  shocked  and  crushed !"  said  Pugh. 
"  I  knew  that  iny  son  was  often  out  late  at  night,  and 
it  gave  me  uneasiness,  but  it  never  entered  my  head 
that  he  was  engaged  in  mischief." 

"Your  son  assured  his  fellow  conspirators  in  my 
hearing  that  his  father  knew  nothing  about  it,  and  that 
he  was  wholly  ignorant  in  regard  to  the  large  sums  of 
money  furnished  him  to  carry  forward  the  plot." 

It  is  possible  that  Mr.  Jarvis  had  a  purpose  in  thus 
emphasizing  the  word  "father."'  At  any  rate,  Pugh 
gave  it  that  construction,  and  said — 

44  Mr.  Jarvis,  I  thank  you  for  the  information,  ter- 
rible as  it  is." 

Thus  ended  the  interview.  The  constable  left  for 
the  carriage,  while  Pugh  closed  the  door  and  joined 
his  wife  in  the  parlor. 

"  Well,  you  have  heard  all,"  said  the  husband,  with 
some  severity.  "  You  have  furriished  Lucas  money  to 
reward  a  villain,  with  the  full  knowledge  of  what  was 
going  on !  Without  any  delay  you  must  escape,  or  in 
the  morning  you  may  be  arrested  and  shut  up  in  jail. 
And  now  before  you  leave,  if  it  will  give  you  any  satis- 
faction you  may  spit  in  my  face." 

Here  the  wife  broke  down,  and  gave  vent  to  her  feel- 
ings in  hysterical  weeping,  freely  mixed  with  very  bad 
language.  She  soon  recovered  her  composure,  and 
with  a  desperate  resolution  on  her  countenance  said — 


242  LLANGOBA1TH. 

"Our  scheme  has  miscarried!  Now,  Evan,  if  you 
think  I  am  worth  saving  from  prison,  give  directions 
and  I  will  follow  them." 

"  Pack  your  trunks  at  once !"  said  the  husband.  "  You 
must  be  in  Carnarvon  by  five  o'clock  to  take  the  coach 
for  London.  J  will  give  you  a  good  supply  of  money. 
Keep  your  face  veiled  until  you  are  out  of  the  Prin- 
cipality. Settle  in  London,  and  keep  away  from  your 
relatives  in  other  parts  of  England.  Write  to  me  regu- 
larly, and  I  will  address  you  by  the  name  of  Jane  Mc- 
Knight.  I  will  dispose  of  my  property  as  soon  as  I 
can,  and  join  you  at  the  Metropolis.  You  have  acted 
most  wickedly.  But  in  this  Gwennie  Lloyd  business  I 
was  not  without  blame  myself.  Put  your  things  to- 
gether, and  Tom  Williams  will  soon  have  the  carriage 
ready." 

"  Betty  "  was  called  to  assist,  and  a  plausible  reason 
given.  The  trunks  were  soon  ready.  At  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning  Mrs.  Pugh  bade  a  sudden  adieu  to  her 
Welsh  home,  and  at  five  she  was  inside  of  the  royal 
mail  coach  on  her  way  for  London. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

A    REVELATION   AT    DRUID'S   OROVE. 

Early  in  the  morning  Bangor  was  thoroughly  excited. 
The  news  of  the  wonderful  arrest  had  quickly  spread 
throughout  the  city.  Women  ran  to  and  fro,  and  men 
gathered  in  groups  on  the  street  corners.  To  hundreds,. 
Lucas  Pugh  and  John  Spike  were  well  known.  The 
nature  of  their  offence  was  but  slightly  understood,  but 
they  had  been  informed,  that  at  ten  o'clock  the  prison- 
ers would  be  brought  before  Justice  Ormsby.  Long 
before  the  hour  the  public  room  was  crowded,  and  so 
would  have  been  the  passages,  only  as  they  were  kept 
open  by  the  police. 

There  was  a  noise  of  a  crowd  outside,  and  presently 
Jarvis,  and  his  assistants,  brought  in  the  prisoners. 
"With  the  exception  of  Scroggs,  who  still  maintained  his 
strange  hilarity,  they  appeared  angry  and  defiant. 
Able  counsel  had  been  procured.  The  warrant  was 
read,  and  Parry  Jones  before  examining  the  witnesses, 
briefly  addressed  the  Court. 

"  May  it  please  your  Honor,  in  the  evidence  we  shall 
present,  the  Court  will  learn  the  nature  and  origin  of 
the  most  cowardly,  malicious  and  depraved  conspiracy, 
that  has  ever  disgraced  the  pages  of  history.  It  was 


244  LLAXOOBAITH. 

against  a  young  man  of  as  pure  a  character  as  ever 
breathed  the  air  of  the  principality.  "While  these  con- 
spirators were  taking  their  parting  drink,  at  their  plot- 
ting place,  Mr.  Jarvis  and  his  assistants  claimed 
them  as  their  legal  guests,  adorned  them  with  wristlets, 
and  gave  them  a  free  ride  to  Baugor.  Here  they  are, 
your  Honor,  and  we  are  ready  to  proceed  with  the  ex 
animation." 

Robin  Jones  gave  in  his  evidence  with  clearne  ss  and 
simplicity.  Taliesin  followed.  The  Justice  remarked, 
that  at  this  stage  it  was  not  necessary  for  the  prosecu- 
tion to  produce  any  more  testimony,  and  asked  the  ad- 
vocate for  the  defence  if  he  wished  to  speak. 

"  The  evidence  is  of  such  a  nature,  your  Honor,"  said 
the  lawyer,  "  that  at  present  I  have  nothing  to  say. 
When  they  are  brought  to  trial,  it  shall  be  my  pleasure 
AS  well  as  my  duty  to  see  that,  as  prisoners,  they  have 
all  their  legitimate  rights.  That  is  all,  your  Honor." 

Justice  Ormsby  then  remarked,  "  From  t  he  evi 
dence  advanced,  I  am  compelled  to  commit  the  prison- 
ers. The  officers  will  now  see  that  these  four  men  are 
taken  and  lodged  in  jail,  to  await  the  action  of  the 
grand  jury." 

The  prisoners  were  removed,  and  were  soon  on  their 
•way  to  the  county  jail. 

During  the  examination,  a  young  man  of  comely  ap- 
pearance was  seen  near  the  Crown  Advocate,  busily  en- 


A   REVELATION   AT   DBUID's   GROVE.  245 

gaged  in  writing,  who,  as  soon  as  the  men  were  com- 
mitted, rushed  out  of  the  court  room  with  eager  haste. 
In  a  few  minutes  after  this,  the  same  person  was  seen 
on  one  of  the  swiftest  horses,  sweeping  along  towards 
Carnarvon  at  the  rate  of  twenty  miles  an  hour.  He 
was  the  Bangor  correspondent  of  the  Carnarvon 
Herald,  and  this  was  the  day  of  publication. 

In  the  afternoon,  the  Herald  made  its  appearance, 
and  the  excitement  it  produced  may  be  judged  from 
the  following  heavy  heading  : 

"  STARTLING  NEWS  FOOM  BANGOR  !  AN  INFERNAL  PLOT 
DEFEATED!  THE  WOULD-BE  MURDERERS  OF  LLEWELYN  ED- 
WARDS BROUGHT  TO  GRIEF  !  LUCAS  PuGH,  SlMON  SPIKE, 

JOHN  SPIKE  AND  THOMAS  ADOLPHUS  SCROOGS,  (the  Bala 
"Jenkins,'')  LODGED  IN  CARNARVON  JAIL!  THE  HEROIC 
CONDUCT  OF  TALIESIN  ROBERTS  AND  ROBERT  JONES!" 

Then  followed  a  long  article,  in  which  was  given  the 
full  particulars,  ending  thus :  '•  The  praise  of  Taliesin 
Roberts  and  Robin  Jones  is  on  every  tongue.  Through 
their  untired  efforts  by  day  and  by  night,  a  gang  of  vil- 
lains have  been  arrested,  and  in  all  probability  a  most 
worthy  young  man  saved  from  a  violent  death/1 

Morris  Williams  was  one  of  the  first  to  see  the 
startling  article.  He  was  not  demonstrative,  like  some 
others,  although  deeply  agitated.  "And  this  villain 
wanted  Gwennie  for  a  wife,  did  he  ?"  said  he  to  him- 
self, and  hastened  to  the  post-office. 


246 


LIANOOBAITH, 


"Mr.  Stevens,"  he  asked,  "what  time  will  the  next 
regular  mail  reach  Bala  ?" 

"About  this  time  on  the  day  after  to-morrow,"  was 
the  answer. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Mr.  Williams,  and  then  left  for  the 
office  of  the  Herald. 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  get  fifty  copies  of  this  day's 
Herald,  Mr.  Jones,"  said  Williams. 

"  We  published  a  large  edition,  and  we  can  accom- 
modate you,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Please  send  them  over  to  my  house  as  soon  as  you 
can,  for  I  am  in  a  hurry,"  said  Williams,  and  off  he  went. 

"  Tom,  now  see  how  quick  you  can  get  ready  my 
horse  and  chaise.  I  wish  to  be  off  without  any  delay. 
I  will  not  be  home  until  to-morrow  night ;  and  then 
you  will  be  on  hand  to  take  good  care  of  '  Black  Jim.'  " 

"  Yes  sir,"  said  the  young  man,  and  he  made  haste 
for  the  stable. 

"  Black  Jim,"  was  the  finest  horse  in  Carnarvon ;  and 
many  of  the  gentry  envied  Mr.  Williams,  as  they  often 
witnessed  "Jim's"  graceful  form  and  grand  speed. 
Large  offers  had  been  made  for  the  noble  animal,  but 
the  uniform  answer  had  been,  "  The  horse  is  not  for 
sale." 

The  chaise  was  already  at  the  door.  Presently  Mr. 
Williams  came  out,  and  threw  a  large  bundle  into  the 
vehicle. 


A   REVELATION   AT    DRUID'S    GROVE.  247 

"  Tom,  take  this  note  and  this  paper  and  leave  them 
at  the  livery  stable  office."  He  then  seated  himself  in 
the  chaise,  took  the  reins,  and  Jim  proudly  trotted  out 
of  the  city  in  the  direction  of  Llanllyfui. 


In  the  parlor  at  Llwyn  y  Derwydd,  there  were  to- 
gether Thomas  Lloyd,  Grace  aud  Gwenuie. 

"  Papa,"  said  Gwenuie,  •'  don't  you  think  that  for  a 
number  of  days.  Robin  Jones  has  acted  somewhat 
strange  and  mysterious  f ' 

"I  certainly  do,  Gweunie,"  said  Lloyd.  ''His  cheer- 
fulness is  gone,  and  he  is  absent-minded.  At  times  he 
seems  to  be  indignant.  At  one  time  when  he  thought 
perhaps  that  no  one  was  near  him,  I  heard  him  indulg- 
ing in  what  sounded  like  a  defiant  laugh,  while  his 
fists  presented  a  very  threatning  shape." 

"  I  don't  feel  easy  about  him!"  said  Gwennie.  ''Re- 
cently, I  think  he  has  been  out  until  late  hours.  This 
is  so  unlike  Robin  Jones !  Papa,  what  reason  did  he 
give  for  going  to  Bangor  this  morning  ?" 

"He  said  that  Taliesin  Roberts  requested  him  to  go 
on  very  important  business." 

"  That  certainly  was  a  good  reason,"  said  Gwennie. 
"When  Taliesin  requests  his  presence,  it  must  be  either 
in  Robin's  interest  or  for  the  good  of  some  one  else." 

"  Tom,  would  it  not  be  well  for  us  to  question  Robin 


248  LLANQOBAITH. 

in  regard  to  this  trouble?"  asked  Grace.     "We  might 
be  of  some  help  to  the  good  fellow." 

"I  think  it  would  be  well,"  said  Lloyd.  "But  here 
he  comes,  and  there  is  certainly  a  great  improvement 
in  the  appearance  of  his  countenance.  Gwennie,  if 
you  wish  to  question  him,  you  had  better  invite  him  in." 

Robin  came  up  from  the  road  toward  the  house  with 
a  lively  step,  and  with  such  an  animation  of  counte- 
nance, which  they  had  not  witnessed  for  several  days. 

Gwennie  rose  and  stood  in  the  door.  "  Well,  Robin," 
she  said,  "  and  you  have  got  back.  You  have  had  a 
long  walk,  and  you  must  be  tired." 

"I  am  not  tired  the  least  bit,  Miss  Lloyd,"  said 
Robin.  "I  never  in  my  life  came  from  Bangor  to 
Druid's  Grove  so  easy  and  in  so  short  a  time." 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  it,  Robin.  I  want  you  to 
come  into  the  parlor,  for  we  have  a  few  questions  to 
ask  you." 

Robin  entered  the  parlor  with  some  diffidence.  It 
was  a  room  where  men-servants  never  visited.  Gwen- 
nie noticed  some  signs  of  embarrassment,  and  said — 

"  Sit  down  on  this  chair,  Robin,  and  be  just  as  much 
at  home  as  if  you  were  in  your  own  room." 

"  You  are  very  good,  Miss  Lloyd,"  said  Robin,  "  and 
I  am  ready  to  answer  any  questions  as  far  as  I  know." 

"  Robin,  we  have  thought  that  for  some  days  you 
have  not  appeared  exactly  like  yourself." 


A  REVELATION  AT  DRUID' 8  GROVE.         249 

"And  you  have  thought  right,  Miss  Gwennie,"  said 
Robin,  "  and  it  is  a  wonder  that  I  did  not  behave  a 
good  deal  worse.  When  I  tell  you  what  the  trouble 
was,  you  will  say  that  Robin  Jones  behaved  pretty 
well." 

"Robin,  why  did  you  not  let  us  know  about  this 
trouble  ?  We  might  have  helped  you." 

•'  I  think  you  could  not  have  helped  me  a  bit,  Miss 
Gwennie,"  said  the  young  man.  "And  that  is  the  rea 
son  that  Taliesin  told  me  to  be  sure  and  not  mention 
it  to  you  nor  anyone  in  the  house,  until  we  got  through. 
I  can  tell  you  all  about  it  now,  Miss  Lloyd.  It  will 
shock  you  a  good  bit,  but  it  will  not  kill  you." 

"Go  on,  Robin!"  said  Gwennie  with  wondering  anx- 
iety. 

Just  then  a  boy  on  a  horse  suddenly  stopped  in  front 
of  the  house,  jumped  from  the  saddle,  rushed  to  the 
open  door  and  knocked.  Gwennie  met  him. 

"  Mr.  Morris  Williams,  from  Carnarvon,  sent  me  with 
this  paper  for  Miss  Gwennie  Lloyd." 

"  I  am  that  person,"  said  Gweunie.  "  Will  you  not 
come  in  f " 

"I  thank  you,  Miss  Lloyd,"  said  the  boy,  "but  I 
must  return  at  once."  And  so  he  left. 

"  What  can  there  be  in  the  Herald  of  sufficient  im- 
portance to  require  a  special  messenger  ?"  said  Gwen- 
nie, as  she  slowly  opened  the  paper. 
16 


250  LLANGOBAITH. 

"  I  think  you  will  learn  in  that  paper  what  was  the 
trouble  with  Robin  Jones,"  said  the  faithful  servant. 

Gwennie's  eyes  soon  fell  upon  the  startling  article 
from  Bangor.  She  instantly  dropped  the  paper,  and 
in  a  voice  of  deep  agitation,  with  uplifted  hands,  cried 
out — 

"Oh,  papa,  papa,  papa!" 

Thomas  Lloyd  jumped  to  his  feet  in  a  moment,  and 
in  a  soothing  tone  asked — 

"What  is  it,  my  child?" 

" Oh,  papa,  papa !"  cried  Gwennie.  "It  was  dread- 
ful!" 

"  Is  any  one  killed  T'  asked  her  Aunt  Grace. 

"No,  but  they  were  going  to  murder  him!"  cried 
Gwennie,  with  tearful  eyes. 

"  Murder  who  ?"  cried  her  father,  in  a  voice  of  alarm. 

"Take  the  paper,  papa,  and  read  that  terrible  head- 
ing." 

Thomas  Lloyd  took  the  paper,  glanced  at  it  for  n  few 
moments,  and  turned  pale. 

"  In  the  name  of  Heaven,  what  is  it  ?"  cried  Grace. 

"I  will  give  you  the  heading."  And  in  trembling 
accents  he  read  the  dreadful  words. 
'"It  is  no  wonder,  dear  Gwennie,  that  you  were  so 
terribly  shocked !"  said  the  aunt,  fondly  kissing  her. 
"  But  how  thankful  we  are  that  their  wicked  plot  has 
been  defeated !" 


A  REVELATION  AT  DRUID'S  GROVE.         251 

"May  the  name  of  the  Lord  be  praised!"  said 
Gwennie. 

Thomas  Lloyd  then  read  the  article  aloud  to  its 
close,  while  the  rest  listened  with  intense/  interest. 

"  Gwennie,"  asked  her  father,  "  did  Llewelyn  tell  you 
anything  about  this  lake  disaster  ? 

"  Not  a  word,  papa !" 

"In  that  he  acted  wisely,"  said  Grace. 

"  Now,  Miss  Gwenuie,  you  understand  why  I  be- 
haved a  little  strange."  said  Robin  Jones. 

"Oh,  Robin,  you  have  behaved  most  nobly!"  said 
Gwennie,  with  joyful  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  I  cannot  see  that  I  have  done  anything  that  should 
make  the  people  cry  in  the  streets  of  Bangor.  'Hooray 
for  Robin  Jones !'  And  only  think.  Parry  Jones  made 
me  a  present  of  half  a  pound!" 

"And  here  is  another  present  of  half  a  pound,"  said 
Thomas  Lloyd,  while  the  astonished  Robin  took  the 
coin. 

"And  here,  Robin,  take  that  from  me."  said  Grace," 
handing  him  a  crown. 

"And,  Robin,  take  that  from  me !"  said  Gwenuie,  as 
she  earnestly  kissed  his  cheek. 

Robin,  with  all  his  power  of  endurance,  was  not  proof 
against  such  wholesale  demonstration.  He  broke  down, 
and  wept  like  a  child. 

'*  Now,  Robin,"  said  Gwennie,   "  you  can  go  and  eat 


252 


LLANOOBAITII. 


your  dinner."  And,  rising,  she  continued,  "I  will  see 
that  you  have  a  meal  worthy  of  the  occasion."  And 
she  left  the  room. 

"And,  Kobin,"  said  Thomas  Lloyd,  "  after  dinner, 
you  need  not  go  to  work.  You  have  slept  but  very 
little  this  week,  and  I  would  advise  you  to  go  to  bed." 

"I  thank  you,  master !"  said  Bobiii,  as  he  left  to  en- 
joy a  feast,  in  the  merits  of  which  Gwennie  was  inter- 
ested. 

The  daughter  soon  returned  to  the  parlor.  Her 
father  was  again  looking  over  the  paper  from  Carnar- 
von. 

"Ah !"  said  he,  "  here  is  something  in  writing."  "  On 
the  start  for  Bala  with  'Black  Jim,'  twenty-four  hours 
in  advance  of  the  mail,  I  have  fifty  copies  of  the  Herald 
for  free  distribution.  Will  be  home  to-morrow  night. 

UNCLE  MORRIS." 

"Well  done,  Morris!"  said  Lloyd  in  all  sincerity. 
"That  is  a  wise  movement." 

"  Just  like  all  the  rest  of  his  movements,"  said  Grace 
Lloyd,  with  an  expression  of  countenance  that,  for  her, 
was  a  lit 1 1« •  unusual. 

They  left  the  parlor.  The  brother  went  into  the  gar- 
den, where  he  sat  down  for  deep  reflection ;  the  sister 
to  see  that  Robin  Jones  was  provided  with  abundance; 
and  the  daughter  to  her  room,  and  prayed  to  that 
"  Father  that  seeth  in  secret." 


CHAPTER  XXHI. 

TWO    LETTERS. 

As  intimated  in  another  chapter,  repeated  burglaries 
had  been  committed  in  various  parts  of  North  Wales 
at  different  times,  in  such  a  manner  that  the  authori- 
ties, with  all  their  skill,  had  utterly  failed  to  find  the 
perpetrators.  It  was  now  believed  that  the  chief  of 
this  gang  was  in  custody,  and  the  sheriff  at  Carnarvon, 
without  any  delay,  sent  two  officers,  in  behalf  of  sev- 
eral parties  that  had  been  robbed  of  money  and  valu- 
ables, clothed  with  full  authority  to  make  a  thorough 
search  at  ''Raven's  Nest,"  and  the  premises.  On  their 
way  they  made  some  inquiries  at  a  house  in  the  moun- 
tain pass,  and  were  informed  that  the  men  were  seldom 
at  home,  but  that  the  woman  never*  left  the  "  Nest." 
They  went  forward  and  reached  their  destination.  After 
repeated  calls  and  knockings,  no  one  answered.  They 
tried  the  door,  and  found  it  unlocked.  They  went  in, 
and  the  interior  presented  a  scene  of  strange  disorder. 
It  was  a  mixture  of  squalor  and  finely,  destitution  and 
opulence.  It  was  evident  that  no  presiding  genius  was 
on  the  throne  in  the  management  of  that  household. 
They  moved  into  a  small  room,  which  showed  some  de- 
gree of  order;  and  on  the  table  was  a  letter  which  had 


254  LLAXGOBAITH. 

an  outside  fresh  appearance.  It  was  unsealed,  and  in 
a  fair,  legible  hand  it  was  directed,  "  Simon  Spike." 
One  of  the  officers  took  the  letter  and  read  the  follow- 
ing: 

"Simon  Spike,  you  have  abused  your  slave  for  the 
last  time.  Long  have  I  suffered  your  cruel  tyranny. 
With  lying  lips  and  fair  promises,  you  enticed  me  from 
my  home.  A  thousand  times  have  I  purposed  to  leave 
your  accursed  service,  but  until  now  my  resolutions 
have  failed.  Your  abusive  language  to-night  strength- 
ened my  courage.  I  am  on  the  point  of  leaving  the 
premises  of  the  most  abominable  wretch  that  ever 
cursed  the  earth.  Your  house  abounds  in  stolen  goods. 
When  you  come  home  to-ruorrow  morning  from  your 
wicked  conspiracy,  you  will  find  me  gone.  With  my 
departure  will  disappear,  also,  from  Raven's  Nest  a 
large  sum  of  gold.  Ah,  Simon  Spike!  you  thought 
that  your  submissive  slave  knew  nothing  of  your  money 
depository.  I  have  known  the  passage  for  years,  and 
the  secret  spot  where  you  leave  the  keys.  You  will 
see  that  I  have  not  taken  all ;  that  would  be  too  heavy. 
I  have  taken  as  much  as  I  can  conveniently  carry. 
This  gives  me  some  compensation  for  years  of  degraded 
service  rendered  Simon  Spike,  the  great  burglar  chief, 
the  lying  villain,  and  murderous  plotter,  for  whom  the 
burning  fires  of  an  endless  hell  will  be  too  good. 
What  did  I  hear  the  other  day  from  you  and  Scroggs, 
in  regard  to  young  Edwards,  when  you  thought  that  I 
was  far  away?  It  was  murder!  There  is  preaching 
for  you,  Simon  Spike !  Now  please  '  lead  me  by  the 
nose  and  spit  in  my  face.'  I  am  glad  that  my  educa- 


TWO    LETTERS.  255 

tion  reached  a  fair  point  before  I  ever  saw  a  devil  in 
human  shape.  It  is  to  that  bit  of  learning  that  you 
are  indebted  for  this  letter,  and  that  I  am  indebted  for 
the  pleasure  of  cursing  you  on  paper.  The  balance  of 
the  gold  I  had  a  good  mind  to  throw  into  the  depth  of 
the  well,  but  I  have  left  it  in  the  coffer.  I  have  been 
careless  enough  to  leave  your  secret  door  open.  Go 
down  and  shut  it  quickly,  and  learn  that  Charlotte 
Bruce  is  not  such  an  'infernal  fool'  after  all. 

HA.  HA  !" 

"A  good  discovery.  Williams."  said  Thomas  Lewis. 
"This  letter  puts  us  on  the  right  track,  and  is  a  crush- 
ing evidence  against  the  prisoners.''  and  he  carefully 
put  it  in  his  pocket.  "  Now  for  a  thorough  search. 
The  letter  says  l  go  doirn  quickly.'  So  the  treasures 
are  below,  and  the  door  is  open." 

They  went  down  into  the  cellar,  and  in  a  corner  they 
came  to  an  opening  into  a  dark  passage,  dug  even  with 
the  floor.  They  procured  a  light,  and  pursued  their 
way  until  they  reached  a  small,  square  room  at  a  dis- 
tance of  about  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  from  the  opening. 
Here,  as  they  expected,  they  found  treasures.  In  one 
small  coffer  was  about  £500  in  gold.  In  a  larger  coffer, 
or  rather  chest,  was  found  a  great  quantity  of  valuable 
articles,  in  gold  and  silver,  of  almost  every  description. 
On  many  of  these  were  names  and  initials  of  owners, 
and  on  some  the  coat  of  arms  of  the  houses  to  which 
they  belonged. 


256  LLANOOBAITH. 

Seeing  nothing  more  in  that  secret  place,  they  care- 
fully secured  the  chests,  and  made  further  search,  but 
they  found  nothing  of  value  that  had  the  appearance 
of  being  stolen  goods.  The  sheriff's  seal  was  put  on 
the  treasures,  they  were  taken  to  the  ready  vehicle, 
and  conveyed  to  Carnarvon  to  await  further  develop- 
ments. 


Miss  Thomas  was  in  her  parlor.  In  her  hand  was  a 
letter  which  she  had  just  read,  and  in  her  eyes  there  were 
unmistakable  tears.  Those  tears  were  a  mixture.  The 
prevailing  ingredient  was  sympathy.  There  was  some 
affection,  and  a  few  grains  of  indignation.  The  reader 
will  better  understand  the  young  lady's  feelings  when 
they  have  read  the  epistle. 

"CABDIFF,  Sept.  — ,  18—. 
MY  DEAK  Miss  THOMAS  : 

In  harmony  with  your  kind  consent,  and  my  own 
glad  promise,  I  now  attend  to  a  most  pleasant  duty.  I 
found  my  father,  sister  and  aunt  all  well,  and  the  ado 
they  made  over  my  return  was  altogether  more  than  I 
deserved.  My  long  absence  explains  the  warmth  with 
which  my  return  was  hailed.  Miss  Thomas,  the  day  is 
lovely.  Our  residence  stands  on  an  elevation,  and 
these  lines  are  penned  in  an  upper  room.  From  my 
window  the  scene  is  inspiring,  and  to  many  it  would 
be  perfectly  enchanting.  I  look  upon  the  broad  bay, 
stretching  into  the  expansive  ocean,  while  a  hundred 
sails  dot  the  blue  waters.  To  these  scenes  I  have  long 


TWO    LETTEBS.  257 

been  accustomed,  and  they  possess  an  enduring  charm. 
But  far  sweeter  to  me  were  the  quiet  scenes  of  Bala, 
with  its  charming  environs,  than  anything  Cardiff  can 
afford.  Those  few  weeks  spent  in  your  delightful 
little  town  will  forever  remain  in  my  fond  memory  as 
the  most  happy  in  my  history.  They  were  also,  I  trust, 
the  means  of  a  foundation  of  a  better  life.  My  early 
training.  I  am  sorry  to  say,  was  not  strictly  religious. 
My  mother  was  a  quiet  woman,  and  a  modest  Chris- 
tian. My  father,  although  an  excellent  man  in  many 
respects,  is  somewhat  skeptical  on  the  subject  of  re- 
ligion. That  is  one  reason  why  my  own  views  of 
Christian  doctrine  have  not  been  more  positive  and 
fixed.  Never  have  I  witnessed  the  practical  workings 
of  Christianity  in  so  beautiful  and  clear  light  as  at 
Bala ;  and  I  think  I  left  you  a  much  better  man  than 
when  you  first  saw  me.  I  trust  that  I  shall  yet 
be  brought  into  the  full  light.  I  consider  Mr.  Ed- 
wards the  finest  specimen  of  young  manhood,  phy- 
sically, intellectually  and  morally,  that  I  ever  saw.  I 
have  seen,  also,  at  Bala  a  high  perfection  in  woman- 
hood. I  will  mention  no  name,  for  fear  it  may  not 
please  you. 

My  sister  Helen  sends  her  love  in  her  own  impulsive 
way,  as  the  enclosed  lines  will  show  you.  A  friend  of 
mine,  Mr.  Burt,  is  about  to  start  for  the  north,  and  he 
will  post  this  letter  at  Carnarvon.  My  kind  regards  to 
friends,  especially  Mr.  Edwards.  Hoping  to  see  you 
again  before  long,  I  remain 

Your  sincere  friend, 

JOHN-  JENKINS." 


258  LLANGOBAITH. 

The  small  note  from  the  sister,  written  in  a  neat, 
delicate  hand,  was  in  this  wise : 

"  MY  DEAR  Miss  THOMAS  : 

John  has  said  so  much  about  you  since  he  came 
home,  that  I  feel  as  if  I  was  well  acquainted  with  you. 
I  have  fallen  desperately  in  love  with  Bala,  and  with  its 
good  people,  especially  with  you  and  Mr.  Edwards. 
There !  I  have  said  it !  Never  mind,  I  will  not  call  it 
back.  Oh,  Miss  Thomas,  I  do  hope  my  dear  papa  will 
let  me  come  to  Bala  with  John. 

Yours  truly,  HELEN  JENKINS." 

"To  think  that  this  pure-minded  and  noble  young 
man  is  regarded  by  Mr.  Edwards  as  a  thief  and  a 
knave  is  perfectly  shocking!"  said  Miss  Thomas  to 
herself.  "  I  cannot  endure  it !  I  think  this  letter  will 
cure  him  of  his  cruel  suspicion.  As  there  is  nothing 
in  it  of  a  confidential  nature,  I  will  ask  him  to  read  it ; 
and  if  it  will  not  make  him  blush,  then  I  am  mistaken," 
and  she  put  the  letter  in  her  pocket  to  await  the  hour 
of  her  triumph. 

About  the  time  when  Miss  Thomas  was  shedding 
tears  over  Mr.  Jenkins'  letter,  there  was  something  of 
a  sensation  in  front  of  the  "  Bala  Hotel,"  caused  by  a 
certain  arrival.  The  personage  that  made  his  advent 
was  not  the  cause  of  this  wonderment,  for  in  his  per- 
sonal appearance  he  did  not  much  differ  from  other 
gentlemen.  Neither  did  the  chaise  in  which  he  rode 
create  any  particular  excitement;  for  finer  and  more 


TWO   LETTER8.  259 

costly  vehicles  they  saw  almost  every  day.  It  was  the 
horse  he  drove  that  drew  both  their  attention  and  ad- 
miration. Never  had  they  seen  a  horse  to  equal  him  ; 
and  if  "Black  Jim"  was  conscious  of  the  praise  be- 
stowed upon  him,  he  certainly  must  have  felt  proud. 
But  he  was  not  long  on  exhibition. 

"Take  this  horse,  my  man,  and  see  well  to  his  com- 
fort, and  you  will  lose  nothing  by  it,"  said  Morris* 
Williams. 

"When  I  bring  him  out,  sir,"  said  the  man,  touching 
his  cap  respectfully,  "you  will  be  sure  that  David 
Jones  knows  what  is  good  for  a  horse."  And  the  tine 
beast  was  taken  into  comfortable  quarters ;  while  his 
master  was  ushered  into  a  weh  furnished  little  parlor. 

"If  you  have  any  orders,  sir,  they  will  be  attended 
to  with  great  pleasure,"  said  the  landlord. 

"  I  have  a  young  friend  at  the  Institute  by  the  name 
of  Llewelyn  Edwards,"  said  Williams.  "I  will  thank 
you  for  sending  him  this  card." 

"  That  will  be  done  without  the  least  delay,  sir,"  said 
Mr.  Hughes.  "  Mr.  Edwards  is  a  young  man  that  we 
all  greatly  respect." 

"  I  wish  to  dine  with  Mr.  Edwards  at  one  o'clock," 
said  Mr.  Williams.  "  Please  to  furnish  the  dinner  in  a 
piivate  room." 

"  With  great  pleasure,  sir,"  said  the  proprietor,  and 
left. 


260 


LLAXGOBAITH. 


In  about  fifteen  minutes  Llewelyn  came,  and  it  was 
•evident  from  his  countenance  that  he  had  some  fears. 

Mr.  "Williams  took  his  hand  in  a  friendly  manner,  and 
remarked,  "  Llewelyn,  I  am  glad  to  see  you.  How  do 
you  do?" 

"  I  am  quite  well,  Mr.  Williams,  and  am  very  glad  to 
see  you  at  Bala.  I  hope  you  bring  no  tidings  of  evil." 

"  Well,"  said  Mr.  Williams,  "  I  hardly  know  what  to 
say  to  that.  Yes,  I  think  I  bring  tidings  of  evil ;  but 
•don't  take  it  much  to  heart,  for  evil  as  it  may  be,  it 
partakes  of  features  that  call  for  thanksgiving." 

"  I  trust  that  no  calamity  has  befallen  any  of  our 
friends,"  said  Llewelyn  exhibiting  a  degree  of  nervous- 


"Our  friends  are  all  well,  and  very  happy  I  should 
judge,"  said  Williams.  "  I  have  brought  with  n-e  the 
Carnarvon  Herald  about  twenty-four  hours  in  advance 
of  the  mail.  In  it  you  will  find  an  article  in  which 
your  own  name  is  mentioned  several  times."  And  he 
handed  the  young  man  the  paper  and  pointed  to  the 
page. 

Llewelyn  read  the  startling  heading  and  at  first  was 
so  agitated  that  he  bowed  his  head  on  the  table  by 
which  he  sat.  He  soon  mastered  his  feelings  and  said : 

•'Mr.  Williams,  I  have  for  some  time  believed  that  I 
was  the  subject  of  a  plot,  and  that  Jenkins  was  a  villain. 
But  little  did  I  think  that  their  evil  design  would  so 


TWO   LETTERS.  261 

soon  be  unveiled."    He  then  read  the  whole  article  and 
said  : 

"I  have  no  vengeful  feelings,  but  may  the  Lord's 
will  be  done !  It  is  well  for  the  safety  of  the  com- 
munity that  such  characters  are  shut  up.  May  heaven 
bless  my  ever  faithful  friend,  Taliesin  Roberts,  and  the 
kind  hearted  Robin  Jones!  I  wish  that  you  had 
brought  twenty  copies  of  the  Herald  with  you,  so  that 
the  Bala  people  might  see  Jenkins  in  his  true  character." 

44 1  think  you  will  find  more  than  twenty  copies  in 
this  package  Llewelyn,"  said  "Williams,  as  he  handed 
him  the  large  bundle.  "  Open  it,  and  let  these  copies 
be  at  once  distributed  among  those  of  your  citizens 
that  you  may  choose  to  mention.  Now  speak  the 
names,  and  I  will  write  them  on  the  papers." 

This  was  soon  accomplished  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  the  two  friends :  and  the  papers  were  put  into  the 
hands  of  faithful  and  competent  carriers. 

"Now,  Llewelyn,"  said  Williams,  "  we  have  got  along 
nicely.  At  one  o'clock  we  dine  together  in  this  hotel. 
This  will  give  us  ample  opportunity  for  confidential 
conversation." 

"  I  would  be  most  happy  to  have  you  as  my  guest, 
Mr.  Williams,"  said  Edwards,  "  but  if  you  have  made  a 
different  arrangement,  it  is  all  right.  Please  excuse  me 
for  a  while,  and  let  me  inform  my  people  that  they 
need  not  expect  me  to  dinner." 


"262  LLANGOBAITH. 

"Yes,  go  and  return  at  your  convenience,''  said 
Mi-.  Williams. 

Llewelyn  picked  up  a  copy  of  the  Carnarvon  Herald, 
and  was  soon  on  his  way  toward  his  boarding  house. 
Miss  Thomas  stood  in  the  door  with  a  triumphant 
smile  on  her  countenance. 

"  Mr.  Edwards,  if  you  are  not  very  busy  I  would  be 
pleased  to  see  you  at  my  parlor  for  a  short  time." 

"  I  am  at  your  service  this  very  moment,1'  said 
Llewelyn,  and  together  they  went  into  Miss  Thomas' 
room. 

"Mr.  Edwards,"  said  Miss  Thomas  in  her  politest 
manner,  "  do  you  still  entertain  those  cruel  opinions 
which  you  expressed  in  regard  to  Mr.  Jenkins  at  our 
last  conversation  ?  " 

"I  have  had  no  reason  for  changing  my  mind.  >h  — 
Thomas,"  was  the  reply. 

"I  think  I  have  something  here  that  will  give  you 
reason  for  changing  your  mind,"  she  said,  producing 
Mr.  Jenkins'  letter.  "  Will  you  be  so  kind  as  to  read 
it  carefully  and  then  tell  me  what  you  think?  " 

"I  certainly  wi'l  if  you  so  desire,"  said  Llewelyn 
with  a  peculiar  smile. 

Miss  Thomas  closely  watched  him  as  he  read,  and 
was  pleased  to  see  unusual  excitement  in  his  coun- 
tenance, while  mentally  she  said  :  "I  have  him  at  last." 
Llewelyn  finished  the  reading  with  a  heavy  bigh. 


TWO   LETTERS.  263 

"It  is  n:>  wonder  you  sigh,  Mr.  Edwards,"  said  Miss 
Thomas,  "  we  are  all  liable  to  fall  into  error,  but  that 
you  should  fall  into  such  a  monstrous  mistake  is  to  me 
a  wonder  of  wonders.  Of  course  you  are  now 
thoroughly  convinced." 

"Yes,  Miss  Thomas,  I  am  thoroughly  convinced," 
said  Mr.  Edwards.  "I  am  thoroughly  convinced  that 
this  letter  was  never  written  at  Cardiff.  I  am  thoroughly 
convinced  that  his  residence  on  the  hill,  his  Mr.  Burt 
and  sister  Helen  are  purely  fictitious.  I  am  thoroughly 
convinced  that  Mr.  Jenkins  is  tin  unmitigated  liar,  a 
scoundrel,  thief,  and  would-be  murderer.  I  am 
thoroughly  convinced  that  Miss  'Thomas  is  duped  a 
little  worse  than  I  was  myself,  and  that  it  will  not  be 
long  before  she  will  see  things  in  their  true  light." 

"  Mr.  Edwards,"  said  Miss  Thomas,  while  paleness 
gathered  on  her  countenance,  "  if  you  have  got  through 
with  Mr.  Jenkins'  letter  I  will  relieve  you  from  what 
must  be  a  burden."  She  took  the  letter  and  tenderly 
put  it  in  her  pocket.  "  I  ;im  not  deceived  in  Mr.  Jen- 
kins, but  I  am  bitterly  deceived  in  you ;  and  from 
henceforth  I  must  drop  from  my  list  of  friends  a  person 
that  can  use  such  vile  language  against  a  person  that  I 
so  highly  esteem." 

"  Tour  language  is  plain,  and  I  can  not  fail  to  com- 
prehend its  meaning."  said  Edwards.  "  "With  the  views 
you  have  of  Jenkins  your  language  may,  perhaps,  be  jus- 


264  LLANGOBAITH. 

tifiable;  but  before  you  erase  iny  unworthy  name  from  the 
list  of  your  friends,  will  you  do  me  one  favor  ?  At  your 
request  I  read  Mr.  Jenkins'  letter.  At  my  request  will 
you  read  an  article  in  yesterday's  Carnarvon  Herald?  " 

'•  Most  certainly  I  will ! "  said  Miss  Thomas  somewhat 
sharply,  "  give  me  the  paper." 

She  was  seated  on  a  sofa,  and  the  Herald  was 
handed  to  her. 

"  Show  me  the  article,"  she  said  in  a  voice  denoting 
irritation. 

"  You  will  easily  find  it  on  the  second  page  by  its 
startling  heading,"  said  Llewelyn. 

The  heading  was  read,  and  with  a  shriek  she  fell 
over  on  the  sofa.  Mrs.  Ellis,  passing  through  the  hall, 
heard  the  cry  and  was  instantly  by  her  side. 

"What  can  ail  Miss  Thomas,  Mr.  Edwards?  "  asked 
Mrs.  Ellis  as  she  bathed  the  young  lady's  temples. 
"  Did  she  hear  some  bad  news?  " 

"She  saw  something  in  the  paper  that  greatly 
shocked  her,"  said  Llewelyn. 

By  this  time  Miss  Thomas  had  partially  revived,  and, 
being  unwilling  to  exhibit  weakness  in  a  certain  direction 
said  : 

"  I  am  so  nervous !  and  it  is  so  dreadful !  Mr.  Ed- 
wards, I  have  greatly  wronged  you  ;  and  when  I  get 
my  strength  I  will  make  suitable  confessions  and  ask 
your  forgiveness." 


TWO   LETTERS.  265 

•"Ask  no  forgiveness  of  me,  Miss  Thomas,"  said  the 
young  man.  "  For  weeks  I  was  deceived  myself,  and 
only  through  the  importunity  of  my  friends  was  I 
brought  to  see  my  mistake." 

"  Please  say  nothing  about  this  foolish  fainting," 
said  Miss  Thomas.  "  Be  kind  enough  to  leave  the 
paper  here.  You  need  not  stay.  I  will  see  you  again 
in  regard  to  this  matter." 

After  explaining  to  Mrs.  Ellis  that  he  was  to  dine 
with  a  friend  at  the  hotel,  Mr.  Edwards  left. 

"  Now,  Miss  Thomas,  for  pity's  sake,  do  tell  me  what 
is  all  this  about,"  said  Mrs.  Ellis. 

"  Here,  read  this  article  to  me  clear  through,  head- 
ing and  all,"  said  Miss  Thomas,  "  and  then  you  will 
find  that  my  fright  was  not  all  for  nothing.  Now  go 
on  while  I  lay  me  down  and  listen.  Why  don't  you 
read  ? " 

"  May  the  Lord  of  Heaven  have  mercy  upon  us ! " 
cried  Mrs.  Ellis,  dropping  the  paper,  rising  up,  and 
wringing  her  hands  in  a  parox3Tsm  of  excitement. 
•'  Oh  my  dear  Miss  Thomas,  it  is  no  wonder  that  it 
upset  you  !  Mr.  Jenkins  a  villain  after  all ! " 

"Yes,  and  a  thief!  "  cried  Miss  Thomas. 

"  And  an  intended  murderer !  "  said  Mrs.  Ellis.  "Oh 
how  the  guilty  wretch  deceived  us  all !  I  will  try  and 
read  the  dreadful  article,  but  I  tremble  like  a  leaf  from 
17 


266  LLANGOBAITH. 

head  to  foot."  And  so  she  read,  occasionally  stopping 
to  make  remarks. 

"Well,"  she  continued,  "the  old  adage  says  ' Drwg 
y  ceidw'r  diawl  ei  was,'  (the  devil  gives  his  servant  but 
a  poor  protection).  Let  us  be  thankful  that — ' 

"  Mrs.  Ellis,  what  is  the  matter  outside  ?  "  asked  Miss 
Thomas.  "  The  people  act  as  if  there  was  an  alarm  of 
fire ! " 

Mrs.  Ellis  looked  from  the  window  and  asked  a 
neighbor  passing  by  what  it  meant. 

"  There  is  startling  news  in  the  Carnarvon  Herald 
in  regard  to  the  narrow  escape  of  Mr.  Edwards  from 
being  murdered  on  our  lake  :  and  forty  copies  have 
been  distributed  in  town.  The  people  are  almost  wild: 
and  no  wonder,1'  said  the  man,  and  went  his  way. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

AT    BALA    AND    THE    "  SHOP." 

On  his  way  to  the  hotel  Llewelyn  met  Phillips  ami 
Griffiths,  who  had  saved  him  on  the  lake.  Now  that 
the  secrecy  was  over,  it  soon  became  known  to  the 
citizens  who  were  Mr.  Edwards'  deliverers,  and  tbeir 
names  were  on  every  lip. 

"Come  with  me'  to  the  hotel,  and  let  my  friend 
Williams  from  Carnarvon  have  the  pleasure  of  grasping 
your  hand  ."  Said  Llewelyn. 

"With  pleasure,"  said  Griffiths.  ''We  are  anxious 
to  see  the  man  who  brought  us  the  good  news  twenty- 
four  hours  in  advance  of  the  mail.  The  Bala  people 
appreciate  his  kindness,  and  he  must  receive  some 
token  of  our  gratitude." 

"Mr.  Williams,  I  have  brought  with  me  my  two  kind 
deliverers — Mr.  Phillips  and  Mr.  Griffiths." 

"Gentlemen,  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  see  your 
faces  and  take  you  by  the  hand,"  said  Mr.  Williams. 

"And  we  most  sincerely  thank  you,  sir,  for  bringing 
us  the  news  with  such  unusual  speed.  Your  great  fa- 
vor is  warmly  appreciated  by  our  citizens,"  said  Mr. 
Phillips. 

"  It  has  given  me  no  trouble  that  is  worth  mention- 


268  LLANGOBAITH. 

ing,"  said  Mr.  Williams;  "and  if  it  had,  the  pleasure 
ti  has  afforded  would  entirely  overbalance  it." 

"At  what  time  must  you  leave  us,  Mr.  Williams  ?" 
asked  Mr.  Griffiths. 
•  "I  must  leave  at  have-past  two."  was  the  reply. 

The  two  young  men  then  left,  saying  they  would  see 
him  again  before  he  would  leave  the  town. 

The  confidential  conversation  between  Williams  and 
his  young  friend  was  long  and  pleasant.  They  branched 
out  into  the  doings  and  circumstances  of  days  and 
years  gone  by ;  and  the  time  passed  away  delightfully. 
Mr.  Hughes  furnished  a  most  excellent  dinner,  and  as- 
sured the  gentleman  from  Carnarvon  that  this  day 
would  long  be  remembered  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Bala. 

The  hour  at  last  arrived  for  Mr.  Williams  to  leave. 
When  about  to  go,  Phillips  and  Griffiths  called  again 
at  his  room. 

"Gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Williams,  "my  short  stay 
among  you  has  given  me  much  pleasure.  Should  you 
come  to  Carnarvon,  be  sure  to  call  on  me." 

They  now  left  the  parlor  and  walked  into  the  front 
of  the  hotel.  They  were  no  sooner  seen  than  a  loud 
"  Hooray !"  went  up  from  some  two  hundred  people. 

"What  means  this,  Llewelyn?"  asked  Morris  Wil- 
liams in  perfect  astonishment. 

"You  will  learn  in  a  moment  what  it  means,"  said 


AT    BALA    AND    THE    "  SHOP."  269 

Llewelyn.  Presently  a  gentleman  stood  on  a  table  in 
the  midst  of  the  company,  and  said : 

"As  citizens  of  Bala,  we  have  thus  assembled  with 
but  little  consultation,  to  express  our  thanks  to  our 
worthy  friend,  Mr.  Moms  Williams,  for  bringing  to 
our  town,  in  advance  of  the  mail,  the  good  news  con- 
tained in  the  Carnarvon  Herald.  We  wish  Mr.  Wil- 
liams a  prosperous  journey  home.  (Loud  cheers.)  We 
also  express  our  thanks  to  Thomas  Phillips  and  George 
Griffiths,  who  saved  our  friend  Edwards  from  impend- 
ing destruction.  (Cheers  for  Phillips  and  Griffiths.) 
We  also  thank  those  young  heroes,  strangers  so  us. 
Taliesin  Roberts  and  Robert  Jones.  (Tremendous 
cheers.)  And  now  three  Hoorays  for  Llewelyn  Ed- 
wards!" (A  wild  demonstration. ) 

Mr.  Williams  was  now  loudly  called  for.  He  stood 
on  the  steps  and  said : 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  am  no  public  speaker. 
These  two  noble  men  who  saved  my  young  fiiend 
from  the  jaws  of  death,  are  worthy  of  all  praise!  As 
for  myself,  your  words  express  far  more  than  I  de- 
serve. You  have  my  wannest  thanks.  And  now,  good 
bye !" 

He  stepped  into  his  chaise,  put  half  a  crown  in  the 
hand  of  David  Jones,  took  the  reins,  and  "  Black  Jim," 
in  splendid  style,  amid  a  grand  shout,  was  on  his  way 
to  Carnarvon. 


270  LLANGOBAITH. 

At  a  little  later  hour,  on  the  same  day  on  which  was 
witnessed  the  exciting  scene  at  the  parlor  of  Druid's 
Grove,  mentioned  in  another  place,  Morgan  Edwards 
and  Helen  were  sitting  together  in  their  comfortable 
parlor.  The  aunt  was  absent  on  a  short  visit. 

"  Llewelyn  is  convinced  at  last  that  his  Mr.  Jenkins 
is  a  villain  in  disguise,"  said  the  daughter. 

"Yes;  and  for  him  he  uses  very  strong  language,'' 
said  the  father.  "I  am  led  to  think  that  he  has  some 
evidence  of  Jenkins'  villainy  beside  that  matter  of  the 
watch." 

"  Papa,  I  am  afraid  that  my  brother  is  in  danger 
of  bodily  harm !"  said  the  sister  in  a  trembling  voice. 
"  Lucas  Pugh  hates  him  with  all  the  malignity  of  his 
depraved  heart,  and  he  has  sworn  that  he  shall  never 
be  the  husband  of  Gwennie  Lloyd." 

"  Llewelyn  is  far  safer  at  present  than  when  he  con- 
fided in  Jenkins,"  said  Mr.  Edwards.  "  He  will  now  be 
on  his  guard,  and  others  are  on  the  watch  in  his  inter- 
est. Above  all,  I  trust  that  an  overruling  Providence 
will  cover  him  with  her  protecting  wing." 

"  I  am  almost  sure  that  the  secret  communication  of 
Robin  Jones  three  nights  ago,  was  something  in  regard 
to  this  matter,"  said  Helen.  "  It  was —  But,  papa, 
here  comes  Taliesin  at  an  awful  speed !  I  hope  he 
brings  no  bad  news !" 

Taliesin  gave  his  panting  steed  to  a  boy,  rushed  into 


AT   BALA    AXD   THE    "SHOP.".  271 

the  house  without  ceremony,  and  threw  himself  into  a 
chair. 

"Taliesin,"  cried  Helen,  "what  is  the  matter?  You 
don't  act  like  yourself !" 

"  Perhaps  not,"  said  the  young  mau.  *  However? 
under  the  circumstances,  my  behavior  is  excusable." 

"  Taliesin  Roberts,  what  has  happened  ?"  asked  Hel- 
en in  a  very  serious  tone.  '"Have  you  heard  any  bad 
news  from  Llewelyn  ?" 

"I have  not,"  was  his  reply.  "I  came  straight  from 
Carnarvon,  and  the  whole  town  is  in  a  whirl  of  excite- 
ment over  an  item  of  news  from  Bangor." 

"And  does  the  news  affect  us,  Taliesin  ?''  asked  Mr. 
Edwards. 

"You  can  judge  for  yourself,"  said  Taliesin,  as  he 
handed  Morgan  Edwards  a  copy  of  the  Carnarvon 
Herald.  "You  will  find  the  article  marked  on  the 
second  page." 

Mr.  Edwards  read  the  heading,  while  his  face  showed 
great  agitation. 

"  Oh,  Taliesin,  what  is  it  ?"  cried  Helen  almost  in 
agony. 

"  Be  calm,  my  child !"  said  the  father.  "  To  us  the 
news  is  not  bad.  I  will  give  you  the  startling  caption." 

Helen  fell  on  her  knees,  bowed  her  head  on  her 
father's  lap,  and  gave  vent  to  her  feelings  in  sobbing, 
w  hich  continued  for  some  time. 


272  LLANGOBAITH. 

When  the  rush  of  feeling  had  subsided,  Mr.  Edwards 
read  the  article  aloud. 

"Helen,  you  can  easily  excuse  my  strange  behavior/' 

She  made  no  reply  in  words,  but  she  looked  upon 
him  through  her  tears,  and  never  before  had  she  been 
able  to  concentrate  so  much  love  into  one  look.  Talies- 
in  felt  its  power  and  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  hap- 
piness of  those  moments  was  not  much  inferior  to  the 
joys  of  heaven. 

After  a  long  conversation,  in  the  course  of  which  he 
gave  them  to  understand  that  Morris  Williams  had 
gone  to  Bala,  Taliesin  got  his  horse  and  hastened  to 
his  father's  house  and  there  indulged  in  what  he  greatly 
needed — sound  pleep. 

Before  the  close  of  day,  the  news  had  spread  far  and 
wide.  At  Llangobaith  men  and  women  ran  to  and  fro 
in  all  directions  in  a  high  state  of  excitement.  In  front 
of  the  Red  Lion  there  was  a  crowd  :>f  people  indulging 
in  loud  talk  and  violent  gestures.  Rejoicing  and  indig- 
nation were  found  in  equal  quantities.  Thus  things 
continued,  more  or  less,  for  several  days. 


Evan  Pugh  kept  within  the  walls  of  his  own  resi- 
dence. The  calamity  had  fallen  upon  him  with  terrible 
weight.  Still,  there  was  in  his  countenance  a  defiant, 
angry  appearance.  He  still  felt  an  undiminished  hatred 
of  Llewelyn  and  Gwennie.  He  came  to  the  conclusion 


AT    BALA    AND    THE    "  SHOP."  273 

that  be  would  either  sell  Kiverside  or  secure  a  trusty 
tenant.  He  would  then  leave  the  country  and  mingle 
among  strangers  where  he  would  not  be  known  as  the 
father  of  a  felon. 

Affairs  at  Druid's  Grove  were  progressing  favorably. 
In  the  light  of  the  recent  terrible  developments,  Thom- 
as Lloyd  still  more  clearly  saw  the  enormity  of  his  of- 
fence against  his  daughter,  and  fairly  shuddered  as  he 
viewed  the  awful  gulf  into  which  he  had  endeavored 
to  hurl  her.  The  reflection  lowered  him  in  his  own 
estimation,  while  it  revealed  Gwennie's  superior  judg- 
ment. He  did  not  express  himself  very  freely,  but  it 
was  evident  that  his  nature  was  undergoing  a  rapid 
transformation.  The  past  seemed  to  him  as  far  worse 
than  a  failure.  The  retrospective  view  was  humiliating, 
and  he  was  honest  enough  to  confess  to  himself  that 
in  point  of  moral  goodness  he  was  exceedingly  deficient. 
The  idol  at  whose  shrine  he  had  worshiped  with  such 
uniformity  for  so  many  years,  had  not  only  lost  its 
former  charms,  but  appeared  to  him  now  horrid  and 
repulsive.  He  closed  his  eyes  from  beholding  its 
frightful  visage,  and  solemnly  vowed  that  never  again 
would  he  pay  homage  to  Mammon.  Men  whom  he  had 
despised  rose  before  his  mental  vision,  with  whom  he 
compared  himself,  and  the  result  to  him  was  anything 
but  flattering.  Even  Methodists  and  other  Dissenters, 
drove  him  completely  into  the  shade.  His  great  zeal 


274  LLASGOBAITH. 

for  the  Established  Church  he  saw  was  but  a  shain, 
wholly  destitute  of  a  single  holy  purpose,  or  worthy 
motive.  He  was  a  prisoner  at  the  bar  of  his  own  con- 
science, under  heavy  charges,  which  were  all  sustained, 
and  he  pronounced  himself  guilty.  He  was  sorry,  but 
at  this  time  his  sorrow  was  not  thoroughly  evangelical. 
His  repentance,  as  yet,  was  not  "  toward  God."  But 
he  was  progressing  in  the  right  direction.  His  former 
imperiousness  had  disappeared,  and  he  showed  a  fair 
degree  of  hurrility.  He  looked  upon  Gwennie  from  a 
new  standpoint.  In  addition  to  his  restored  natural 
affection  for  his  child,  he  loved  her  for  her  grand  moral 
perfections.  Such  transformations  are  not  common  oc- 
currences, especially  in  those  persons  who  are  Mammon 
worshipers.  They  generally  wax  worse  and  worse,  un- 
til at  last  they  reluctantly  leave  their  accumulated  treas- 
ures and  pass  away  to  the  great  hereafter.  Thomas 
Lloyd  was  an  exception  to  the  rule,  and  in  that  light 
let  him  be  considered. 

The  affectionate  intimacy  between  Helen  and  Gwen- 
nie was  becoming  closer  and  sweeter  from  day  to  day. 
They  were  very  often  in  one  another's  society,  and  each 
looked  to  the  future  with  joyful  anticipations. 

At  Bala,  Llewelyn's  popularity  was  on  the  increase, 
chiefly  on  account  of  his  pulpit  power.  He  was  also 
rendered  more  dear  to  the  people  by  his  narrow  escape 
from  the  malice  of  his  enemies. 


AT   BALA   AND    THE    "  SHOP.''  275 

Miss  Thomas,  in  her  own  estimation,  was  greatly 
humiliated.  She  knew  that  before  Llewelyn  she  had 
betrayed  a  degree  of  regard  for  Jenkins  that  could  not 
be  well  explained  on  the  score  of  simple  friendship. 
She  had  lost  fifty  pounds,  but  to  her  that  was  a  trivial 
calamity  compared  with  the  fact  that  she  had  given  a 
thorough  villain  the  highest  seat  ha  the  sanctuary  of 
her  heart,  and  that  another  person  had  witnessed  the 
proof  of  it. 

In  a  subsequent  conversation  she  had  said  to  Mr. 
Edwards — "  In  view  of  this  matter,  I  abhor  myself  in 
dust  and  ashes !  The  hard  words  I  spoke  to  you,  and 
the  manner  in  which  I  defended  that  wicked  deceiver, 
must  have  astonished  and  grieved  you.  You  are  in 
possession  of  a  secret  known  to  no  other  person  at  Bala 
except  myself.  But  such  is  the  confidence  that  I  have 
in  you  that  I  am  sure  you  will  not  expose  the  weak 
judgment  of  a  woman  that  has  been  too  confiding." 

"  Miss  Thomas,"  said  Mr.  Edwards,  with  much  feel- 
ing, "you  judge  yourself  too  severely.  I  have  seen 
nothing  in  your  behavior  for  which  you  need  offer  the 
least  apology.  You  may  rest  assured  that  any  conver- 
sation between  us  in  regard  to  this  man  will  be  consid- 
ered sacred." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Miss  Thomas.  "  In  this  I  have 
learned  a  lesson  that  will  prove  valuable  in  the  future. 
Satan's  agents,  as  well  as  their  master,  can  transform 
themselves  into  angels  of  light." 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

PULPIT    ORATORS. 

In  those  days  the  Calvi»  istic  Methodist  ministers  of 
Wales  were  itinerants — not  over  small  circuits  like  the 
Wesleyans,  but  under  the  direction  of  the  Association 
they  traveled  over  extensive  fields.  They  were  very 
much  of  the  time  away  from  home,  while  their  ap 
pointments  were  well  understood  by  the  churches  seve- 
ral weeks  in  advance.  Sometimes  a  young  uuordained 
man  would  be  put  on  the  plan  with  his  more  experi- 
enced and  older  brethren. 

These  men  usually  preached  from  fifteen  to  twenty 
times  a  week,  and  at  most  of  the  places  their  congre- 
gations were  large.  Even  in  the  heat  of  harvest  the 
farmers,  with  their  men  servants,  would,  for  a  while, 
leave  the  field  and  hasten  to  a  neighboring  chapel  to 
listen  to  one  of  these  noted  ministers.  For  this  lux- 
ury, however,  they  would  willingly  work  harder,  earlier 
and  later,  so  that  there  was  no  temporal  loss  in  the 
premises. 

These  traveling  preachers  were  supported  by  the 
voluntary  contributions  of  the  churches.  At  Llaugob- 
aith  they  were  always  well  rewarded,  while  from  weak- 
er societies  they  received  but  little. 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  277 

\ 

Among  the  Welsh,  even  until  to-day,  the  notices  are 
given  out  by  an  official  of  the  church,  who  is  y  cyhoedd- 
wr  (the  announcer).  At  the  close  of  the  morning  serv- 
ice, on  one  Sabbath,  Robert  Ellis  said :  "  You  will  be 
glad  to  hear,  as  I  am  glad  to  announce,  that  on  next 
Sabbath,  Providence  permitting,  our  young  friend, 
Llewelyn  Edwards,  will  preach  here  morning  and  even- 
ing." 

To  nearly  all  present  this  was  unexpected,  and  every 
countenance  beamed  with  gladness.  His  recent  escape 
from  the  malice  of  his  enemies,  together  witb  his  fame 
as  a  preacher,  rendered  his  name  at  this  time  exceed- 
ingly attractable. 

The  thrilling  events  of  the  few  months  which  had 
passed  rendered  Llewelyn's  arrival  at  his  father's  house 
deeply  affecting,  and  the  reader's  imagination  can  do 
better  justice  to  the  occasion  than  the  pen  of  the  writer. 

The  student  was  received  by  Thomas  Lloyd  with 
genuine  warmth.  He  well  knew  that  Llewelyn  had 
full  knowledge  of  all  that  had  transpired  between  him 
and  his  daughter,  and  this  caused  him  some  embar- 
rassment, but  he  was  really  glad  to  see  his  anticipated 
son-in-law.  Of  Gwennie  it  is  only  necessary  to  say  that 
her  deportment  was  easy  and  worthy  of  her  sound 
sense  and  warm  heart.  Grace,  also,  being  yet  at  Druid's 
Grove,  was  delighted  to  welcome  her  young  friend. 

Sabbath  morning  came,  and  at  an  early  hour  Thomas 


278  LLANOOBAITH. 

Lloyd,  the  exclusive  churchman,  seemed  to  be  full}- 
ready  for  service,  although  in  the  parish  church  Mr. 
Rowlands  would  not  officiate  before  two  in  the 
afternoon.  Gwennie  noticed  this  early  preparation 
with  a  degree  of  interest.  Presently  the  daughter  and 
her  aunt  Grace  stalled,  when  Lloyd  promptly  joined 
them,  and  together  they  walked  slowly  toward  the 
place  of  worship. 

As  they  progressed,  it  became  evident  that  "  Siloam," 
on  this  Sabbath,  would  not  be  able  to  accommodate 
the  hundreds  that  from  all  directions  were  bending 
their  way  thither.  By  the  time  our  friends  from  Druid's 
Grove  reached  the  chapel  it  was  well  nigh  filled,  al- 
though they  were  u  full  half  hour  f  arly.  Extra  seats 
were  brought  in,  and  every  available  spot  was  filled. 
At  last  the  young  minister,  accompanied  by  the  rest  of 
the  family,  made  his  appearance.  With  some  difficult}- 
he  reached  the  pulpit.  The  sight  of  Llaugobaith's  favo- 
rite deeply  touched  the  audience,  and  with  the  remem- 
brance of  recent  events,  there  were  tears  in  many  eyes. 
No  more  could  possibly  get  into  the  building,  and  a 
large  number  were  under  the  necessity  of  remaining 
without.  The  day,  however,  was  fine,  the  windows 
were  open  and  the  people,  with  but  few  exceptions, 
were  able  to  hear  the  preached  word. 

The  preliminaries  were  conducted  by  Griffith  Jones, 
from  Bangor,  a  most  worthy  unordained  minister.  Af- 


PULPIT   ORATORS.  279 

ter  the  opening  prayer  and  singing,  the  young  herald 
stood  and  announced  his  text — "The  Lord  reigneth  let 
the  earth  rejoice/' — Psalin  97,  1.  He  was  somewhat 
pale  and  slightly  embarrassed,  but  he  well  knew  that 
under  God  he  was  master  of  the  situation.  At  first 
he  went  on  in  a  conversational  style,  and  beautiful  sen_ 
tences  fell  over  his  lips  as  easy  as  the  running  rivulet. 
He  gathered  inspiration  as  he  went.  He  dealt  in 
weighty  theological  truths,  tut  in  a  way  familiar  to  the 
congregation.  His  sermon  abounded  in  pertinent  illus- 
trations. His  imagination  was  lively  and  his  language 
perfect.  He  was  earnest,  pathetic  and  emotional.  As 
he  advanced  the  interest  continually  increased,  and  old 
fashioned  shouts  of  "Diolch  i  Dduw !"  (Thank  God) 
were  heard  from  many  lips.  He  closed  the  Bible  and 
the  audience  feared  that  he  was  going  to  sit  down,  but 
to  their  joy  he  still  continued,  entering  sweeter  into  the 
Welsh  melodic  "  Incyl."  He  soared  like  the  English 
lark,  chanted  in  his  upward  flight,  and  closed  amid  a 
halo  of  glory. 

In  this  morning  service  the  piesence  and  appearance 
of  Thomas  Lloyd  caused  much  astonishment.  For 
yeais  he  had  been  known  as  an  open  despiser  cf  the 
"  sects,"  especially  the  Calvinistic  Methodists,  and  on 
no  occasion  would  he  enter  a  chapel.  But  far  more 
than  his  simple  presence  at  "  Siloam,"  his  evident  emo- 
tion took  the  notice  of  the  people.  In  vain  he  strove  to 


280  LLANGOBAITH. 

hide  his  feelings.  Unbidden  tears  forced  themselves  to 
view.  Was  it  any  wonder?  In  the  one  who  stood  be- 
fore him  in  that  pulpit  he  saw  a  young  man  whom  he 
had  despised  and  hated,  while  his  covetous  admiration 
had  centered  on  a  villain  into  whose  polluted  embrace 
he  had  endeavored  to  force  his  own  lovely  daughter. 
Here,  with  other  things,  were  materials  for  the  produc- 
tion of  penitence,  and  among  those  repentant  sinners 
that  cause  "  joy  in  heaven  "  was  Thomas  Lloyd. 

In  the  evening  the  ministry  was  equally  powerful. 
The  closing  appeal  to  the  young  people  was  attended 
with  great  effect.  As  is  customary  among  the  Welsh,  at 
the  close  of  this  evening  service,  the  members  of  the 
church  were  asked  to  tarry,  with  all  others  who  were 
willing  to  take  upon  them  the  yoke  of  Christ.  A  num- 
ber of  these  remained,  and  among  them  was  found  the 
bowed  head  of  Gwennie's  father. 


The  day  for  the  trial  of  the  conspirators  at  last  ar- 
rived, and  in  view  of  the  overwhelming  nature  of  the 
evidence  for  the  prosecution,  it  was  generally  believed 
that  their  attorney  would  advise  them  to  plead  guilty. 
This  conviction  served,  in  a  measure,  to  moderate  the 
excitement.  Still  there  was  an  immense  throng  at  the 
commodious  court  house.  The  country  people,  especi- 
ally from  the  vicinity  of  Llangobaith,  were  present  by 
the  hundreds.  From  Bala,  also,  there  was  a  large  num- 


TRIAL  OF    THE   CONSPIRATORS.  281 

her,  and  many  who  had  suffered  from  burglary  had 
come  to  have  a  look  at  Simon  Spike  and  Scroggs. 

The  four  prisoners  were  marched  in  under  strong 
guards,  and  seated  in  their  appropriate  place.  Spike, 
the  elder,  looked  angry,  and  faced  the  audience  with  a 
detiant  frown.  Lucas  Pugh  endeavored  to  do  the  same, 
but  failed.  John  Spike  gave  further  proof  of  his  de- 
pravity by  vulgarity  and  profane  levity.  Scroggs 
seemed  to  be  at  perfect  ease,  and  gave  the  audience  an 
excellent  imitation  of  amiability  and  politeness.  Under 
peculiar  disadvantages,  as  far  as  his  costume  was  con- 
cerned, he  had  taken  pains  to  appear  well.  He  smi- 
lingly looked  around  on  the  large  audience  and  bowed 
in  a  style  that  would  have  done  honor  to  royalty. 

The  couit,  amid  perfect  silence,  proceeded  with  its 
business.  The  indictment  was  read,  and  Judge  Tudor 
politely  asked  the  attorney  for  the  defense,  what,  in  be- 
half of  his  clients,  he  wished  to  plead. 

The  talented  advocate  arose  and  said,  "May  it  please 
your  Honor,  in  view  of  the  overwhelming  evidence 
that  is  in  the  possession  of  the  advocate  for  the  Crown, 
the  prisoners  at  the  bar  plead  guilty.  We  trust  that 
this  pleading  may  somewhat  modify  the  sentence." 

The  advocate  for  the  prosecution  then  respectfully 
submitted  that  the  court  proceed  at  once  and  pronounce 
the  sentence. 

The  Judge  rose  and  said,  "  The  prisoners  will  stand 
18 


X 

282  LLANGOBAITH. 

up."  He  then  proceeded,  "  Simon  Spike,  Thomas  Adol- 
phus  Scroggs,  Lucas  Pugh,  and  John  Spike,  you  plead 
guilty  to  ah  awful  indictment ;  a  conspiracy  to  take 
away  the  life  of  an  innocent  man.  Your  plot  well  iiigh 
succeeded.  The  whole  movement  shows  a  depth  of 
depravity,  perfection  of  iniquity,  ripeness  in  villainy 
and  fiendish  cruelty  seldom  equaled  in  the  anna.s  of 
crime.  I  will  not  disturb  the  delicate  and  modest  feel- 
ings of  some  persons  present  by  referring  to  the  origin 
of  this  base  conspiracy.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  it  is 
the  offspring  of  cowardly  malice.  You,  Simon  Spike, 
in  consideration  of  a  large  sum  of  money  paid  and 
promised  by  Lucas  Pugh,  sent  a  well-trained  villain  to 
a  distant  town,  who  worked  himself  into  the  confidence 
of  a  most  worthy  young  man,  in  order  to  take  away 
his  life  under  the  guise  of  an  accident.  This  having 
failed,  you  met  together  again,  and  were  about  to  try 
another  murderous  scheme.  Your  talented  counsel 
hopes  that  your  pleading  guilty  may  modify  the  sen- 
tence of  the  court.  Your  pleading  has  no  virtue.  The 
evidence  is  overwhelming.  A  recent  change  in  the 
law,  however,  is  in  your  favor.  If  this  trial  had  trans- 
pired a  few  years  ago,  Carnarvon  would  have  witnessed 
the  hanging  of  four  guilty  wretches.  But  fortunately 
for  you,  if  not  for  the  community,  that  law  has  been 
abolished.  The  sentence  of  the  court  is,  that  Sinmii 
Spike,  Thomas  Adolphus  Scroggs.  Lucas  Pngh  and 


PULPIT   ORATORS.  283 

John  Spike  be  transported  to  His  Majesty's  penal  col 
ony  in  New  South  Wales,  and  there  be  subjected  to 
hard  labor  during  the  whole  period  of  their  natural 
lives." 

The  sentence  was  received  with  thundering  applause, 
and  the  four  culprits  were  taken  back  to  the  prison. 
The  court  adjourned  to  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
and  the  assembly  dispersed,  well  satisfied  with  the  re- 
sult of  the  morning  session. 

Nearly  three  years  had  passed  away  since  that  morn- 
ing when  Llewelyn  Edwards,  amid  the  well-wishes 
of  friends  and  relatives,  left  his  home  for  the  Bala  Theo- 
logical School,  a  period  crowded  with  weighty  and 
startling  events,  with  some  of  which  the  reader  is  ac- 
quainted. He  had  diligently  pursued  his  studies  and 
had  won  the  high  regards  of  his  instructors.  At  a  late 
meeting  of  the  Association  for  North  Wales,  after  a 
thorough  examination,  in  experience,  doctrine  and  dis- 
cipline, he  was  elected  to  sacred  orders,  the  ordination 
to  take  place  at  the  "  Gymanfa  "  (yearly  meeting)  at 
Llangobaith.  This  was  well  understood,  and  through- 
out all  that  region  it  was  looked  for  with  more  than  or- 
dinary interest.  In  the  meantime  Llewelyn  had  left 
Bala,  and  was  once  more  a  happy  inmate  of  his  father's 
home. 

At  these   ordination    meetings  there  were  always  a 


284  LLANGOBAITH. 

large  number  of  ministers  present,  and  many  sermons 

delivered.     To  the  church  officials  it  was  evident  that 

• 

their  chapel,  although  large,  would  not  hold  one  quar- 
ter of  those  who  would  attend,  and  they  very  wisely 
made  excellent  arrangements  for  an  out-of-door  meet- 
in^.  A  few  rods  from  the  chapel  stood  a  number  of 
tall  trees,  whose  wide  spreading  branches  formed  an 
excellent  shade.  Here  a  large  platform  was  erected, 
and  as  many  seats  prepared  as  they  could  well  secure. 
The  long  expected  period  at  last  arrived.  On  the  after- 
noon of  the  first  day  the  "  Gynadledd  "  (Conference) 
was  held  in  the  church  edifice,  and  so  was  the  preach- 
ing meeting  in  the  evening. 

Among  the  celebrated  pulpit  orators  of  the  occasion 
were  Ebenezer  Morris,  Ebenezer  Richards  and  John 
Elias.  These  were  stars  of  the  first  magnitude,  which, 
at  that  time,  with  many  more,  blazed  in  the  ministerial 
firmament  of  the  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church.  Their 
n  unes,  even  to-day,  among  the  Welsh,  are  familiar 
as  household  words.  Besides  these,  there  were  present 
other  eminent  ministers.  In  those  meetings  they  often 
stood  before  an  audience  of  eight  or  ten  thousand,  who 
"  were  astonished  at"  their  "  doctrine,"  for  like  their 
great  Master,  they  taught  as  those  4t  having  authority." 
While  the  Welsh  Calvinists  of  the  present  day  can  point 
to  men  in  their  regular  ministry  who  are  far  in  advance 
of  the  fathers  in  intellectual  culture,  it  is  doubtful 


PULPIT    OKATORS.  285 

whether  they  have  any  that  surpass  those  we  have  men- 
tioned in  genuine  pulpit  oratory — that  oratory  that 
moves  and  thrills  the  masses. 

At  an  early  hour  of  the  second  day  the  people  began 
to  come  "  as  clouds  and  as  doves  to  their  windows.' 
The  first  to  preach  was  a  young  man  of  fine  appearance 
and  excellent  pulpit  ability ;  and,  consideiing  who  was 
to  follow  him,  he  succeeded  well  in  securing  aud  retain- 
ing the  attention  of  the  thousands  present.  JStill,  there 
were  many  on  the  outskirts  that  walked  to  and  fro. 

The  first  speaker  having  sat  down,  John  Elius  stood, 
and  in  harmony  with  custom,  gave  out  one  stanza  to 
sing— 

"Dysgwyliaf  o'r  mynyddoedd  draw, 
Lie  daw  im'  help  'wyllysgar." 

("Up  to  the  hills  I'll  turn  my  eyes, 
From  whence  my  help  shall  come.") 

After  the  singing,  in  his  own  impressive  manner,  he 
announced  his  text,  "  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  as  a 
propitiation."  His  very  appearance  had  a  magnetic- 
power.  His  clear  voice  reached  the  remotest  in  the  as- 
sembly. As  he  advanced  with  his  grand  theme,  the 
atonement,  the  standing  multitude  came  nearer  the 
stand  and  closer  together.  No  more  walking  about  or 
idle  conversation.  All  were  wrapt  in  the  deepest  atten- 
tion. The  speaker  soon  became  animated.  His  great 
soul  was  inspired.  The  throng  swayed  under  his  burn- 


28()  LLANGOBAITH. 

ing  eloquence  as  a  field  of  wheat  is  swayed  by  the 
breeze.  Copious  tears  fell,  while  shouts  of  praise  from 
hundreds  echoed  among  the  trees.  Thus,  for  an  hour, 
the  vast  concourse  was  oblivious  of  everything  in  heaven 
above  or  on  earth  beneath,  save  the  sublime  truths  pre- 
sented by  this  famous  Welsh  pulpit  orator. 

In  the  afternoon,  before  a  still  larger  audience,  Ebene- 
zer  Richards  preached  one  of  his  characteristic  sermons, 
which  in  many  respects  was  not  inferior  to  the  second 
sermon  in  the  morning.  He  had  a  wonderful  facility  of 
expression,  unlimited  command  of  words,  and  a  most 
loving  spirit. 

At  the  close  of  this  service,  Llewelyn  Edwards,  with 
a  number  of  other  young  men,  surrounded  by  some 
forty  ministers,  was  solemnly  ordained  to  the  full  work 
of  the  Christian  ministry.  The  grand  address  of  the 
occasion  was  by  the  eloquent  and  venerable  Ebenezer 
Morris.  He  also  preached  the  last  sermon  in  the  eve- 
ning, from  the  text, "  The  way  of  life  is  above  to  the  wise, 
to  escape  hell  beneath."  His  majestic  presence,  com- 
manding voice,  melting  pathos,  peculiar  delivery  and 
tremendous  earnestness,  swept  every  thing  before  them, 
A  single  emphatic  word  from  his  lips  would  roll  over 
the  people  like  a  wave.  At  this  time,  he  represented 
the  sinner's  course  as  a  downward  career,  until  at  last 
he  reached  the  awful  "beneath!"  and  with  this  one 
word  in  his  inimitable  manner,  he  thrilled  the  audience. 


PULPIT    ORATOR8.  287 

The  union  of  Llewelyn  and  Gwennie  took  place  at 
the  parish  church.  It  was  conducted  quietly,  and  in 
the  presence  of  a  few  invited  guests.  Thomas  Lloyd 
spared  neither  pains  or  expense  to  render  the  occasion 
delightful  and  highly  respectable.  On  this  day  he  was 
a  happy  man.  He  looked  upon  the  young  minister 
with  love  and  pride,  and  upon  his  daughter  as  •'  blessed 
among  women."  They  were  to  remain  at  Llwyn  y  Der- 
wytld,  and  Gwennie  rejoiced  to  know  that  she  was  still 
to  enjoy  her  dear  old  home. 

Druid's  Grove  had  already  become  a  welcome  retreat 
to  the  weary  itinerant ;  and  he  who  had  for  so  many 
years  treated  them  with  contempt,  was  now  glad  to  sit 
at  their  feet,  and  learn  from  their  lips  more  fully  the 
way  of  truth.  In  his  religious  experience  Thomas  Lloyd 
was  humble  and  penitent.  He  chose  a  low  seat  and  re- 
fused all  official  honor.  He  was  liberal  in  his  contribu- 
tions for  the  support  of  the  ministry,  and  benevolent  in 
almsgiving. 

Llewelyn,  being  now  in  the  regular  itinerancy,  was 
much  of  the  time  from  home.  Soon  he  became  known 
throughout  Wales  as  "  Edwards  of  Llwyn  y  Der- 
wydd."  Gwennie  was  noted  for  spirituality  and  her 
cheerful  labor  in  every  enterprise  affecting  the  interest 
of  the  church. 


CHAPTEK  XXVI. 

RIVERSIDE'S  NEW  MASTER. 

Evan  Pugh  was  now  never  seen  at  Glau  'r  Afou.  It 
was  generally  believed  that  he  bad  joined  his  wife  in 
some  part  of  England.  His  farm  was  managed  by  an 
agent  in  Bangor  by  the  name  of  George  Price.  Before 
Pugh  left,  he  had  secured  a  tenant  in  the  person  of 
John  Trevor,  to  whom  he  had  given  the  use  of  every- 
thing as  it  stood,  for  a  reasonable  rent,  for  the  term  of 
two  years,  with  the  understanding  that  in  the  interval 
the  farm  would  be  for  sale.  John  Trevor,  by  his  kind 
disposition  and  upright  walk,  was  much  beloved  in  the 
community.  He  had  an  amiable  wife  and  one  daughter, 
a  brilliant  lady  of  eighteen. 

For  several  months  Riverside,  with  all  it  contained, 
had  been  advertised  to  be  sold  at  auction.  This  notice 
was  well  circulated,  not  only  throughout  Wales,  but  al- 
so in  the  most  prominent  of  the  English  papers.  At 
that  time  the  sale  of  a  farm  was  not  a  common  occur- 
rence in  the  Principality,  for  nearly  all  belonged  to  some 
large  estate,  owned  by  some  rich  landholder.  It  was 
generally  expected  that  this  valuable  property  would 
be  purchased  by  the  Hon.  Ashton  Smith,  and  added 
to  the  "  Vaenol "  estate.  The  sale  was  to  be  on  the 


RIVERSIDES    NEW    MASTER.  289 

premises,  and  the  appointed  day  arrived.  At  an  early 
hour  the  people  began  to  gather  ;  some  from  curiosity, 
and  many  with  the  intention  of  buying.  It  was  evi- 
dent from  the  conversation  that  many  of  those  present, 
were  from  England.  A  printed  list  of  all  the  personal 
property  was  freely  distributed  among  those  present, 
and  ample  time  was  given  for  examination.  The  whole 
was  to  be  sold,  and  each  bid  was  to  include  the  whole 
property. 

It  seemed  to  the  agent  that  all  who  had  an  intention 
of  bidding  had  already  arrived,  and  the  auctioneer  was 
requested  to  proceed  with  the  sale.  Chairs  had  been 
placed  in  a  semi-circle  in  front  of  the  house,  while  the 
"  orator  of  the  day "  faced  the  company  from  a  higher 
position.  He  was  not  one  of  those  dispensers  of 
cheap  nonsense  that  are  so  often  seen  in  that  fraternity. 
A  fluent  speaker  he  was,  but  before  those  rich  men  his 
speech  was  dignified,  and  his  language  choice. 

'•  Gentlemen,"  said  he,  "  I  will  not  insult  your  intel- 
ligence by  claiming  for  this  property  undue  value.  In 
this  matter  every  one  of  you  is  a  better  judge  than  my- 
self. I  am  cheered  by  this  conviction,  and  I  am  sure 
that  this  magnificent  farm,  with  all  that  is  mentioned 
in  the  bill,  will  bring  a  sura  that  will  nearly  equal  its 
value.  I  base  this  opinion  upon  your  individual  judg- 
ment, as  well  as  your  individual  ability.  We  shall  not 
hurry  matters  in  a  business  of  this  importance.  You 


-'.»')  LLAXGOBAITH. 

will  be  calin  aucl  deliberate.  In  bidding  please  speak 
out  plainly  and  distinctly,  so  that  there  shall  be  no  mis- 
take on  my  part.  Now  we — ' 

Here  he  suddenly  stopped,  observing  in  the  road 
close  by  a  very  fine  carriage  drawn  by  a  span  of  spirited 
horses.  They  turned,  and  with  full  speed  they  came 
up  toward  the  house.  The  animals  gave  signs  of  hav- 
ing traveled  in  haste.  The  coachman  hurriedly  opened 
the  carriage  door,  and  a  full  bearded  gentleman,  of 
youthful  appearance,  finely  dressed,  came  out  and,  with 
much  ease  of  manners,  took  his  seat  within  the  half 
circle. 

"The  gentleman  is  in  time,"  paid  the  auctioneer.  UI 
presume  he  knows  all  about  the  property  and  the  terms 
of  the  sale." 

The  new  comer  simply  bowed. 

"I  now  ask  how  much  am  I  offered  for  Riverside, 
embracing  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  choice  land, 
with  this  fine  residence  and  all  its  rich  furniture ;  all 
farming  utensils,  with  barns,  carriages,  horses,  sheep' 
cattle,  and  many  other  things  too  numerous  to  men- 
tion. What  is  the  first  offer  ?" 

"  Five  thousand  pounds,"  said  the  Vaenol  agent. 

"  That  is  certainly  a  bid,"  said  the  auctioneer,  with  a 
smile,  "  and  I  will  not  despise  the  day  of  small  things. " 

Six  thousand  was  the  next. 


RIVERSIDE'S  SEW  MASTER.  291 

*'  I  Thank  you,  but  gentlemen  are  respectfully  request- 
ed not  to  indulge  too  freely  in  playing.  Go  on !" 

Then  the  bidding  began  to  be  lively,  the  Vaenol  man 
showing  much  interest.  By  degrees  it  ran  up  to  twelve 
thousand  pounds,  while  the  talented  salesman  enter- 
tained them  with  very  ingenious  remarks.  Hitherto 
the  gentleman  that  arrived  late  had  taken  no  part  in 
the  bidding,  and  seemed  to  view  things  with  indiffer- 
ence. The  bidding  was  still  progressing,  although 
slowly.  It  had  reached  £12,500,  and  it  was  the  bid  of 
Ashton  Smith's  agent.  No  one  seemed  disposed  to  go 
higher. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Gibson.  ••  I  have  no- 
fault  to  find  with  your  bidding.  If  no  more  is  offered, 
Thomas  Ashton  Smith  will  have  a  tine  addition  to  his 
estate,  and  that  at  a  great  bargain.  Shall  I  have  any 
more  ?  12,500  once,  12,500  twice,  12,500  three—" 

"£13,000!"  cried  the  young  gentleman  that  arrived 
last. 

This  caused  some  merriment  among  a  number  of  the 
bidders,  while  the  Vaenol  agent  looked  somewhat  dis- 
turbed. 

"I  am  offered  £13,000,"  said  Mr.  Gibson.  "Now 
you  begin  to  see  things  in  their  true  light.  Next !" 

"£13,503 !"  cried  the  Vaenol  agent. 

"£14,000!"  cried  the  young  gentleman. 

"Now  that  begins  to  look  like  it!"  said  the  auc- 


292  LLAKGOBA1TH. 

tioneer.  "  Glan  'r  Af on  begins  to  be  appreciated.  Do 
I  hear  any  more  from  Vaenol  ?" 

"Vaenol  has  got  through!"  said  the  agent,  with 
somewhat  of  a  flushed  countenance.  "I  am  not  au- 
thorized to  go  any  higher." 

"£14,000  I  am  offered  for  Riverside,  with  all  its 
grand  advantages.  Gentlemen,  your  superior  judg- 
ment must  tell  you  that  this  property  is  worth  more 
money.  But  it  must  be  sold.  Fourteen  thousand 
pounds!  Must  I  be  compelled  to  sell  this  earthly  par- 
adise, the  most  lovely  spot  in  the  vale  of  Llangobaith, 
for  fourteen  thousand  pounds?  Now  is  your  last 
chance!  Once,  twice,  t-h-r-e-e  times — and — sold! 
What  is  the  gentleman's  name  ?" 

"You  may  call  it  Thomas  Wynn,"  said  the  young 
man  with  perfect  ease.  And  inasmuch  as  I  am  a  stran- 
ger to  you  all,  I  will  relieve  you  from  all  embarrass- 
ment by  paying  the  agent  a  small  sum  now.  He  will 
please  call  at  my  rooms  at  Penrhyn  Arms,  at  Bangor, 
on  the  day  after  to-morrow,  and  he  will  find  that  his 
money  will  be  ready." 

"  How  much  does  Mr.  Wynn  wish  to  advance  ?"  asked 
the  agent. 

"You  may  write  me  a  receipt  for  two  thousand 
pounds,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

"  Much  less  would  have  answered,"  said  the  agent, 
as  he  took  the  money.  The  receipt  was  quickly  writ- 


RIVERSIDE'S  NEW  MASTER.  293 

ten  and  given  to  the  young  gentleman,  and  the  sale 
was  over. 

When  most  of  the  people  had  dispersed,  John  Tre- 
vor, the  tenant  at  Riverside,  in  a  most  respectful  man- 
ner, approached  the  purchaser  and  said  : 

"Mr.  Wynn,  if  you  have  not  already  a  tenant  in 
view,  sir,  I  would  be  very  glad  to  remain  at  Riverside. 
I  think  Mr.  Price  will  say  that  he  finds  no  fault  with 
my  management." 

"  In  Mr.  Trevor  I  have  found  a  most  excellent  ten- 
ant, Mr.  Wynn,"  said  the  agent. 

"Then  if  Mr.  Trevor  wishes  to  remain,"  said  Mr. 
Wynu,  "  he  may  have  the  place  for  one  year  at  the  same 
rent  that  he  pays  you,  if  that  meets  his  mind." 

"It  meets  my  mind,  and  deserves  my  thanks,"  said 
Mr.  Trevor.  "  If  you  will  please  to  accept  our  humble 
offer,  we  shall  consider  ourselves  highly  honored  if 
you  tarry  with  us  until  to-morrow,  or  longer  if  you 
can.  This  will  give  you  an  opportunity  to  see  the 
farm  and  all  its  surroundings." 

"I  think  I  shall  accept  your  kind  offer,"  said  the 
stranger.  "  I  will  give  my  coachman  a  few  directions." 

"  Robert,  you  may  return  with  the  carriage ;  and  day 
after  to-morrow,  at  ten  o'clock,  I  want  you  to  be  here 
again  to  take  me  to  Bangor.  Let  the  horses  return 
slowly.  Take  my  valise  but,  and  give  it  to  Mr.  Tre- 


•294  LLAXGOBAITH. 

The  coachman  bowed,  removed  the  valise,  took  his 
seat,  and  the  carriage  rolled  away 

Mrs.  Trevor  and  Miss  Nellie  seemed  at  first  a  little 
embarrassed  in  the  presence  of  the  rich  new  master, 
but  his  ease  of  manners  and  cheerful  conversation  soon 
gave  them  perfect  relief.  To  them  it  was  a  matter  of 
some  astonishment  that  a  person  who  could  command 
his  thousands  should  make  himself  so  much  at  home 
in  the  family  of  his  comparatively  poor  tenant. 

After  a  conversation  of  half  an  hour  after  dinner, 
the  new^master  proposed  a  walk  through  the  farm, 
which  proposition  met  the  hearty  wish  of  Mr.  Trevor. 
They  started,  and  it  was  not  long  before  they  came 
near  "Pren  y  Gog,"  the  humble  cot  of  Evan  and  Mar- 
garet Jones. 

"I  don" ^consider  this  little  hut  of  any  benefit  to  this 
property,  nor  an  ornament  to  the  farm,"  said  Mr. 
\Vynn.  "  How  came  Mr.  Pugh  to  permit  such  an  un- 
sightly looking  building  as  this  to  remain  standing  ?" 

"I  have  heard,"  said  Trevor,  "that  his  father,  before 
he  died,  gave  express  orders  that  Evan  Jones  was  not 
to  be  disturbed  as  long  as  he  wished  to  stay,  and  pay  a 
reasonable  rent.  It  is  true,  Mr.  Wynn,  that  the  /«></*•»• 
is  no  ornament;  but  those  that  live  in  it,  sir,  are  con- 
sidered very  bright  ornaments  in  this  vicinity.  Some 
ornaments  in  the  shape  of  children  have  been  found  in 
that  house,  one  of  which  is  in  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 


RIVERSIDE'S  NEW  MASTER.  295 

sir.  It  would  touch  the  heart  of  this  neighborhood  to 
the  quick  to  see  Evan  Jones  and  his  wife  turned  out 
of  house  and  home." 

Mr.  Wynn  was  silent  for  a  while,  and  then  said,  '•  Let 
us  take  a  look  at  the  interior  of  this  old  jewel  casket. 
You  have  made  me  anxious  to  see  this  Owen  Jones." 

"£van  Jones,  sir,"  said  Trevor.  ''He  is  seldom 
home  during  working  hours.  His  good  wife,  perhaps, 
you  can  see." 

''There  was  no  one  at  home  except  their  youngest 
daughter,  Mary,  who  looked  with  astonishment  at  one 
of  her  visitors. 

"  Good  afternoon,  Mary,"  said  Trevor.  ••  All  aloiie, 
I  see?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Mary.  "  I  don't  know  what  the  peo- 
ple will  think.  Mr.  Lloyd  Las  invited  father  and  moth- 
er, Jane,  Will  and  myself  to  Druid's  Grove  to  tea  this 
afternoon.  Robin,  with  the  carriage,  has  taken  my 
parents.  Llewelyn  Edwards  is  borne,  and  Mary 
Humphreys  is  there  from  Bangor,  aud  Gwenuie  sent 
me  word  this  morning  that  I  must  be  sure  and  come. 
It  is  not  often  that  poor  people,  like  of  us.  are  treated 
in  this  way  by  their  betters  " 

"  In  this,  Thomas  Lloyd  has  shown  a  clear  head  and 
a  good  heart,"  said  Trevor.  4i  Mary,  this  is  Mr.  Wynn. 
who  has  just  purchased  liiverside." 

"  My  deal1  father  troubles  himself  a  good  bit  for  fear 


296  LLANGOBAITH. 

he  shall  have  to  leave,"  said  Mary,  with  some  treiubliug 
in  her  voice.  "  It  is  a  poor  old  house,  but  to  us  it  is 
the  dearest  spot  on  the  green  earth !"  a>  d  looking  at 
Mr.  Wyn-  ,  she  continued  :  "  Here,  sir,  we  children 
were  all  born.  In  and  about  this  poor  hut,  we  laughed 
and  sung,  and  shouted  and  ran,  when  we  were  little 
boys  and  girls.  How  our  dear  Dick  used  to  climb  to 
the  very  top  of  yon  tree,  and  say  he  was  going  to  be  a 
sailor — "  And  here  poor  Mary  had  to  stop,  overcome 
with  the  fond  memory  of  the  departed. 

"  Well,"  said  Mr.  Wynn,  "  and  did  Dick  became  a 
sailor  ?" 

"Aye,  that  he  did!"  said  Mary,  "and  the  poor  boy 
was  lost  on  his  first  voyage  !" 

"That  was  very  sad!"  said  Mr.  Wynn.  "But,  Mr. 
Trevor,  we  must  go."  And  looking  at  Mary,  he  said  : 
"  Young  woman,  I  will  give  you  my  word  that  your 
father  will  not  be  disturbed,  and  while  I  am  owner  of 
Riverside  he  will  have  no  rent  to  pay." 

"  May  the  blessing  of  heaven  rest  upon  your  head, 
sir  !"  cried  the  girl,  breaking  into  a  sob,  while  the  two 
men  walked  away. 

"  Mr.  Trevor,"  said  Mr.  Wynn,  "  I  am  becoming 
somewhat  interested  in  this  family,  and  I  am  sorry  we 
did  not  find  the  parents  at  home.  I  am  disposed  to  do 
something  for  their  comfort.  Think  .you  that  Mr. 


RIVERSIDE'S  NEW  MASTER.  297 

Lloyd's  family  would  take  it  kindly  if  we  should  call 
there  for  a  short  time  this  afternoon  f ' 

"  The  family  would  be  delighted  to  have  a  call  from 
the  new  master  of  Riverside,"  said  Trevor.  Whenever 
you  choose  to  start,  it  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to 
drive  \  ou  there." 

•'  Thank  you !"  said  Mr.  Wynn,  "  let  us  start  in  about 
an  hour — that  will  be  about  four  o'clock,"  and  they 
slowly  walked  toward  the  house. 

"  John,"  said  Mrs.  Trevor,  "  Nellie  has  had  an  urgent 
invitation  to  make  a  short  visit  at  Druid's  Grove  this 
evening.  Mary  Humphreys  is  there  and  must  return 
to  Bangor  to-morrow.  You  know  that  if  there  is  any 
person  on  earth  that  Nellie  loves,  it  is  Mary." 

"Let  her  go,  by  all  means,"  said  Mr.  Trevor.  "And 
by  the  way,  Mr.  Wynn  and  mvself  are  going  there  in 
less  than  an  hour,  and  Nellie  can  ride  with  us." 

••  That  will  be  nice,"  said  the  wife.  "  I  will  tell  her 
to  get  ready." 

Mr.  Trevor  went  out  to  give  some  orders  to  his  men. 
When  Mrs.  Trevor  returned  to  the  room,  she  smilingly 
remarked : 

••  While  Mary  Humphreys'  name  is  of  no  importance 
to  you,  she  is  very  dear  to  all  in  these  parts  on  account 
of  her  many  excellencies.  Mrs.  Lloyd  took  the  little 
orphan  into  her  family  and  treated  her  with  the  tender- 
ness of  a  mother.  She  gave  her  school  advantages, 
19 


298  LLAXGOBAITH. 

and  when  she  was  seventeen,  sent  her  to  Bangor  to 
learn  to  be  a  dressmaker,  and  in  eighteen  months  from 
that  time  she  was  considered  the  most  accomplished  in 
that  line  in  the  city.  But  it  is  her  kindness  and  amia- 
bility that  makes  her  such  a  favorite.  She  is  in  her 
element  among  the  poor,  and  deeply  attached  to  tLose 
who  were  her  playmatee.  There  is  one  family  that  she 
seems  to  love  above  all  others — that  of  Evan  Jones.  She 
insists  on  calling  the  old  people  father  and  mother.  It 
would  be  a  wonder  if  they  were  not  called  to  meet  her 
at  Druid's  Grove  to-day." 

"They  have  gone  there,''  said  Mr.  Wynu,  "and  from 
the  daughter  I  learned  the  sad  fate  of  poor  Dick.1' 

"Since  you  have  come  to  that,"  said  Mrs.  Trevor,  "I 
may  as  well  say  that  that  is  the  grand  secret  of  Mary's 
love  for  the  family.  Dick  Jones  was  her  lover,  and  a 
bright  young  fellow  he  was,  and  so  kind  to  his  parents. 
His  sad  fate  almost  killed  his  mother,  while  poor  Mary 
Humphreys  wept  in  secret.  To  a  few  she  revealed  the 
depth  of  her  sorrow.  Half  a  dozen  of  worthy  young 
men  have  since  then  sought  her  hand,  but  all  in  vain. 
The  image  of  her  lost  Dick  is  so  stamped  upon  her 
heart  that  no  power  can  erase  it.  She  looks  for  some 
spiritual  reunion  in  heaven." 

Trevor  now  came  in,  and  Nellie  being  ready,  they 
were  soon  on  their  way.  The  daughter,  by  this  time, 
as  will  be  seen,  had  conquered  her  embarrassment,  and 


RIVERSIDES   NEW    MASTER.  Z»» 

was  in  a  good  frame  of  mind  for  a  pleasant  chat.  Nel- 
lie Trevor  had  the  name  of  being  quite  entertaining  in 
conversation. 

"  If  Mr.  Wynu  is  so  unfortuate  as  to  be  a  batchelor." 
said  she,  with  her  prettj'  smile,  "  I  think  he  will  be  in 
danger  of  falling  in  love  when  he  gets  to  Llwyn  y  Der- 
wydd.  A  word  of  warning  may  set  him  on  his  guard." 

"And  is  it  not  quite  possible.  Miss  Trevor,  that  the 
great  calamity  may  overwhelm  me  while  on  the  way 
there?"  asked  Mr.  Wynu. 

"  It  is  barely  possible,  but  not  at  all  probable,  that 
Mary  Humphreys  may  meet  us  on  the  road,  said  Nel- 
lie, "so  you  may  reserve  your  power  of  resistance  until 
you  reach  the  end  of  the  journey.  Then.  Mr.  Wynn, 
you  must  be  on  your  watch,  or  you  will  be  a  bound  cap- 
tive." 

"  Your  mother  gave  me  a  brief  sketch  of  this  wonder- 
ful Mary  Humphreys,"  said  Mr.  Wynn.  "I  judge  that 
she  must  be  a  very  interesting  person,  and  that  you 
have  some  reason  for  settiug  me  on  my  guard.'1 

"  You  will  see  more  clearly  the  reasonableness  of  my 
caution,''  said  Miss  Trevor,  "  when  I  assure  you  that 
to  fall  in  love  with  Mary  Humphreys  will  be  a  fruitless 
performance.  She  has  sacredly  and  forever  consecrated 
herself  to  single  life." 

"  She  may  yet,  possibly,  change  her  mind."  said  Mr. 
Wynu. 


300  LLANGOBAITH. 

"  Not  unless  Dick  Jones  is  raised  from  the  dead !" 
was  the  emphatic  reply. 

A  sharp  trotting  pony  soon  brought  them  to  Druid's 
Grove.  The  sight  of  Trevor's  carriage  brought  out 
Thomas  Lloyd,  Gwennie  and  Mary  Hurrphreys.  Miss 
Nellie  attended  to  the  introduction  in  an  easy,  graceful 
style. 

"  Mr.  Wynn,  we  are  heartily  glad  to  see  you  !"  said 
Mr.  Lloyd,  "  and  we  are  sure  that  you  will  give  us  the 
pleasure  of  your  company  for  a  few  hours  this  after- 
noon and  evening." 

"I  thank  you  for  your  cordial  invitation,"  said  Mr. 
Wynn.  "I  understand  that  you  have  company,  and  I 
only  fear  that  I  shall  intrude." 

••  Don't  mention  such  a  thing,  my  dear  sir  !"  said 
Lloyd.  "  A  few  friends  have  come  together  who  will 
be  very  glad  to  see  the  new  master  of  Glan  Y  Afon. 
Trevor.  Robin  Jones  will  take  care  of  the  horse.  Now 
let  us  go  in."  and  to  the  house  they  went. 


CHAPTER  XXVH. 

SOME    EXCITEMENT. 

Gwennie  and  Mary  Humphreys  went  with  Mi-s  Tre- 
vor up  stairs,  where  Helen  Edwards  awaited  them,  and. 
as  a  matter  of  course,  the  conversation  turned  upon  the 
new  master. 

"What  a  magnificent  looking  person,  Mary,"  said 
Mrs.  Edwards. 

"  If  his  goodness  corresponds  with  his  looks,  he  is  a 
noble  specimen  of  a  man,"  said  Mary. 

"  We  cannot  judge  of  his  moral  character  on  a  few 
hours'  acquaintance/'  said  Miss  Trevor.  ''He  has  all 
the  appearance  of  a  perfect  gentleman.  I  think  if  he 
had  less  beard  he  would  resemble  Taliesin  Roberts. 
"What  say  you,  Helen  ?" 

"  I  only  say  that  the  comparison  pays  the  stranger  a 
very  high  compliment,"  said  the  young  lady. 

"  We  shall  not  disagree  on  that,  Helen,"  said  Miss 
Trevor,  smiling,  "for  you  have  the  handsomest  lover 
in  the  parish.'' 

"But  are  we  treating  the  illustrious  stranger  with  re- 
spect by  shutting  ourselves  up  in  this  room  ?"  asked 
Mary  Humphreys.  "  Let  us  go  down  and  help  to  en- 
tertain him." 


302  LLANOOBAITH, 

"That  is  well  said,  Mary,"  said  Gwennie.  "You  go 
down,  girls,  and  I  will  run  into  Llewelyn's  room  and 
acquaint  him  of  the  grand  arrival." 

So  they  went  down,  and  Mrs.  Edwards  hurried  to  the 
minister's  study,  where  he  was  busily  engaged  on  a 
sermon  for  Sasiwn  y  Bala  (Bala  Association). 

"Now,  my  dear,:'  said  Gwennie,  putting  her  soft 
hand  on  his  head,  "  lay  aside  your  books  and  papers 
for  a  little  while,  and  go  down  with  me  to  be  intro- 
duced to  the  new  owner  of  Kiverside." 

"  That  I  will,  Gwennie,  with  pleasure.  I  shall  be 
right  glad  to  form  his  acquaintance,"  was  his  reply,  and 
together  they  left  the  study. 

"  Mr.  Wynn,  this  is  my  husband — Rev.  Llewelyn  Ed- 
wards," said  Gwennie. 

They  cordially  shook  hands,  and  entered  at  once  into 
a  general  conversation.  The  company  was  not  divided. 
Evan  Jones  and  his  wife  were  present,  with  all  their  chil- 
dren, except  Robin,  who  was  attending  to  some  outside 
duties.  Mr.  Wynn  rendered  himself  highly  agreeable. 
His  remarks  ran  smooth  and  easy.  The  venerable  pair 
from  Pren  y  G6g  were  delighted  with  the  frank  man- 
ner of  the  rich  stranger.  Mary  had  already  informed 
them  of  his  kind  remarks  at  the  house,  and  they  were 
sure  that  in  the  new  owner  they  had  found  a  friend- 
In  about  an  hour,  tea  was  announced,  and  in  the  mobt 
friendly  manner,  they  sat  around  the  table.  The  meal 


SOME   EXCITEMENT.  303 

being  over,  they  again  united  in  the  parlor,  and  the 
new  master  was  the  great  centre  of  attraction.  It  soon 
began  to  get  dark,  and  the  candles  were  lighted. 

"My  daughter  Mary  informed  me  of  your  very  kind 
remarks  to  her  at  our  house,  sir,"  said  Evan  Jones.  >kl 
had  my  fears  in  regard  to  the  matter.  I  did  not  know 
into  whose  hands  I  would  fall.  We  dearly  love  the  old 
spot  where  we  broughc  up  our  children.  There  are  a 
score  of  sweet  but  sad  memorials  about  the  premises 
that  remind  us  of  our  dear  Dick  !  Yes,  Mary  told  you, 
and  I  need  say  no  more.  To  think  that  we  can  still  re- 
main there,  and  that  without  rent,  has  almost  over- 
come ine,  sir!  My  dear,  good  wife,  does  not  look  as 
she  did  three  or  four  years  ago.  The  sad  fate  of  our 
poor  boy  almost  crushed  her  !" 

•'Oh,  he  was  such  a  kind,  dear  lad  !"  said  the  mother, 
wiping  away  her  tears.  "  His  letters  from  Liverpool 
were  so  religious.  I  would  not  part  with  them  for  the 
whole  of  Glan  V  Afon.  He  was  in  the  church  ever  since 
he  was  fifteen.  I  am  sure  that  he  safely  reached"his 
home." 

"  Pardon  us,  dear  sir,  for  introducing  a  subject  that 
cannot  be  interesting  to  you,  but  when  we  begin  to  talk 
of  poor  Dick,  we  don't  know  how  to  stop,"  said  Evan 
Jones. 

"  Do  you  know  the  name  of  the  ship  in  which  he 
sailed,  and  the  name  of  her  captain  ?"  asked  Mr.  Wynn. 


304  LLANGOBAITH. 

"  O,  dear,  yes  !"  said  Evau  Joues.  "  He  sailed  in  the 
ship  Bombay,  bound  for  the  East  Indies,  and  com- 
manded by  Captain  Bradley.'' 

Mr.  Wynn  suddenly  arose  and  said  :  "  Mr.  Edwards, 
I  would  be  glad  to  see  you  alone  for  a  few  "minutes." 

"  Please  walk  with  me  into  my  study,  Mr.  Wynn." 
said  Llewelyn.  They  went,  and  the  door  was  closed 
after  them. 

"  I  wonder  what  he  wants  with  Llewelyn  ?"  said  Hel- 
en Edwards. 

"  I  think  he  wishes  to  convey,  in  writing,  all  rignt 
and  title  of  Pren  y  G6g  to  Mr.  Evan  Jones  and  his 
wife  Margaret,"  said  Nellie  Trevor. 

"  Nellie  is  always  devising  liberal  things,"  said  Mary 
Humphreys. 

"  Mr.  Trevor."  said  Gweunie,  '•  has  Mr.  Wynu  told 
you  where  he  is  from?" 

"•  He  has  not,"  was  the  answer.  "  I  should  not  won- 
der if  he  is  a  relative  of  Sir  Watkyn  William  Wynn." 

"  I  think  it  is  a  great  pity  for  such  a  fine  man  to  cov- 
er his  face  with  hair,"  said  Margaret  Jones. 

"Mother,"  said  Mary,  "don't  you  know  that  all  the 
pictures  we  have  of  Jesus  Christ  show  him  with  a  heavy 
beard  ?  But  you  don't  think  any  less  of  the  Saviour  on 
that  account  ?" 

"  No,  my  child,  I  don't,"  said  the  mother.     "  Neither 


SOME    EXCITEMENT.  305 

do  I  think  less  of  Mr.  \Vyun.  But  when  he  talks  so 
nicely,  I  would  be  so  glad  to  see  his  mouth. " 

Just  then  Llewelyn  returned  with  a  very  peculiar  ex- 
pression of  countenance.  His  eyes  were  tearful  and 
his  face  pale. 

"  My  deai-  husband !"  cried  Gwennie.  rushing  toward 
him  in  evident  alarm,  "what  is  the  matter?  Is  Mr. 
Wynn  sick  ?  What  is  it  ?" 

"  Don't  be  alarmed,  Gwenuie  :  I  have  no  bad  news  to 
relate,"  said  her  husband,  while  every  eye  in  the  room 
rested  upon  him,  and  while  every  ear  was  watching  for 
further  developments.  "  Since  I  left  this  room  I  have 
received  some  startling  revelations,  and  now  I  wish  to 
make  them  known  to  you,  as  Mr.  Wyuu  revealed  them 
to  me.  They  concern  Evan  Jones  and  his  family  most- 
ly. Mr.  Wynn  has  lately  returned  from  the  East  Indies, 
from  Bombay,  and  gives  me  the  most  positive  assur- 
ance, not  only  that  Captain  Bradley  is  alive,  but  that 
Dick  Jones  also  was  saved  from  the  wreck,  and  is  now 
alive  and  well." 

Here  was  a  scene !  The  father,  mother,  sisters,  and 
indeed  tlie  whole  company,  as  by  a  sudden  shock,  rose 
to  their  feet.  Exclamations  broke  forth  from  almost 
every  lip.  The  mother  ran  to  Llewelyn,  seized  him  by 
the  arm,  and  cried  :  "Is  it  true?  Oh,  is  it  trite  f  Is 
my  Dick  alive?  Do  you  believe  it,  Llewelyn?  An- 


306  LLANGOBAITH. 

swer  me  that  before  you  say  another  word  !  Do  you 
believe  it  ?" 

"  Thank  God  !"  cried  Llewelyn,  "  Margaret  Jones,  I 
know  that  Dick  is  alive  and  well !  Try  and  govern 
yourselves,  for  I  have  much  more  good  news  to  tell 
you.  Mr.  Wyiin  sailed  from  Bombay  with  Captain 
Bradley,  and  landed  in  Liverpool  only  two  days  and  a 
half  ago,  and  he  declares  that  Dick  was  one  of  the  cabin 
passengers  !" 

Here  was  another  scene,  far  exceeding  the  first  in 
demonstrations.  There  was  a  mixture  of  joyous  weep- 
ing and  laughter.  Mary  Humphreys,  who,  until  now, 
had  manifested  entire  calmness,  broke  down  with  emo- 
tions and  buried  her  face  in  Gwennie's  lap. 

"  O  'Lleicelyn  anwyl  /"  cried  the  mother.  *'A  oes 
genyt  fwy  o  newyddion  da  ?"  (O,  dear  Llewelyn  !  have 
you  any  more  good  news?) 

'•  Yes,  I  have,  Margaret  Jones,"  said  Mr.  Edwards* 
"and  may  God  give  you  grace  to  bear  it.  It  seems 
that  Dick  arrived  in  Bangor  at  the  same  time  as  did 
Mr.  Wynn,  and  in  some  manner  has  contrived  to  get 
into  this  house.  I  have  seen  him  with  my  own  eyesr 
and  he  is  now  up  stairs." 

Here  was  a  scene  that  far  exceeded  the  two  previous. 
"Now,  order!"  cried  Llewelyn.  But  there  was  no 
order.  All  was  happy  confusion.  "O,  let  me  see  my 
boy  !"  cried  the  mother,  with  arms  extended. 


SOME   EXCITEMENT.  307 

"  Now  I  will  go  after  Dick  Jones,  and  then  you  may 
enjoy  yourselves  over  him  as  jonr  feelings  may  dictate," 
and  he  left  the  room. 

By  a  struggle,  they  kept  back  for  a  few  moments  the 
torrent  of  feeling  that  was  almost  irresistable.  Foot- 
steps were  heard  descending  the  stairs.  The  door  was 
partially  opened,  while  Llewelyn  stood  in  it  and  said  : 

"Mr.  Wynn  has  disappeared,  but  Dick  Jones  re- 
mains. Walk  in,  Dick,  and  make  yourself  at  home  !" 

And  the  tall  form  of  the  new  master  was  seen  rush- 
ing into  the  extended  arms  of  an  almost  bewildered 
mother.  "  Ofy  mam  anwylT  (O  my  dear  mother),  he 
loudly  cried,  as  he  pressed  her  sinking  form  to  his 
throbbing  bosom.  Then  the  rest  of  the  family  clus- 
tered around  the  restored  one  and  covered  him  with 
tears  and  kisses.  Trevor  laughed  and  wept.  Nellie 
ran  and  kissed  Helen  Edwards,  and  then  both  together 
embraced  Mary  Humphreys.  Thomas  Lloyd  cried  like 
a  child,  and  Gwennie,  leaning  on  the  bosom  of  her  hus- 
band, looked  up  to  heaven  with  thanksgiving.  When 
Dick  was  released  from  the  grasp  of  his  relatives,  he 
made  his  way  to  Mary  Humphreys.  Their  eyes  met, 
and  those  glances  were  crowded  with  intense  affection, 
and  that  mutual  grasp  told  a  story  of  undoing  love. 

After  a  while  silence  was  restored,  and  the  young- 
man  thus  addressed  the  company : 

"  I  am  not  in  a  frame  of  mind  to  speak  at  length. 


•308  LLANGOBAITH. 

For  three  years  I  have  been  to  you  as  one  dead.  You 
have  wept  over  my  sad  fate.  Now  that  I  am  restored, 
you  naturally  wonder  why  I  did  not  write  to  you  and 
acquaint  you  of  my  almost  miraculous  escape  from  an 
awful  shipwreck.  I  will  only  say  now,  that  such  were 
the  circumstances  that  rendered  this  impossible.  My 
story  is  full  of  interest,  but  it  is  long,  and  I  will  not 
touch  upon  it  to-night.  I  would  gladly  embrace  the 
opportunity,  if  offered,  to  give  a  full  narrative  before 
the  public,  in  the  shape  of  an  address.  In  this  I  could 
put  myself  right  before  the  community,  and  it  would 
save  me  the  trouble  of  explaining  the  matter  to  individ- 
uals.'' 

"Richard,"  said  Llewelyn,  "on  what  evening  can 
you  give  us  the  narrative  at  Llangobaith  ?  The  people 
will  receive  it  as  a  great  favor.1' 

"  On  any  evening  you  may  see  fit  to  appoint,"  was 
the  answer. 

"  Then  I  will  take  upon  me  the  responsibility  of  say- 
ing that  on  next  Wednesday  evening,  Richard  Jones, 
formerly  of  Pren  y  Gog,  will  give  a  narrative  of  his 
shipwreck,  rescue  and  adventures  in  the  East  Indies,  at 
thfi  Methodist  chav>el,  in  Llangobaith.  The  meeting 
will  be  publicly  announced  on  next  Sabbath.  And  now, 
.as  some  of  the  company  must  soon  leave,  it  is  highly 
proper  that  this  extraordinary  event  should  close  with 
prayer.  Let  us  now  all  kneel  before  the  Lord." 


SOME   EXCITEMENT.  309 

They  bowed  in  grateful  reverence,  while  the  pastor, 
in  language  of  pathetic  earnestness,  offered  up  thanks- 
giving for  the  kind  Providence  that  had  watched  over 
their  joung  friend.  A  holy  atmosphere  filled  the  room, 
while  the  face  of  Margaret  Jones  shone  like  that  of  an 
angel. 

The  father  and  mother  now  departed  for  home.  The 
sisters  also  left  with  beating  hearts,  while  the  sweet 
impressions  of  their  brother's  kisses  rested  on  their  ani- 
mated cheeks 

'*  Now,  Mr.  Richard  Jones,  formerly  of  Pren  y  Gog," 
said  Miss  Nellie,  ''if  you  are  responsible  for  the  prom- 
ises of  that  fine  looking  Thomas  \Vynn,  with  whom  I 
came  pretty  near  falling  in  love,  we  have  a  claim  on  you 
for  the  night  at  Riverside.'' 

"You  certainly  have,  Miss  Trevor,"  said  Richard, 
44  and  I  shall  most  gladly  accompany  you  and  your 
father  home.  'I  was  a  stranger  and  ye  took  me  in.'" 

"Yes,  I  think  that  is  the  way  it  reads,'1  said  Nellie, 
with  a  smile,  "and  to  show  your  gratitude,  you  have 
4  taken  in '  a  dozen  of  us.'' 

Amid  the  hearty  cheers  and  good  wishes  of  the  com- 
pany, they  started  for  Glan  'r  Afon.  Miss  Trevor  was 
uncontrollably  happy.  This  showed  itself  in  sudden 
fits  of  alternate  laughter  and  sobbing.  "  O,  papa  dear, 
isn't  this  glorious  ?"  she  cried.  "  Yes.  Dick  Jones  is 


310  LLANQOBAITH. 

risen  from  the  dead,  and  some  one  will  change  her 
mind !" 

"  Nellie,  I  ain  afraid  you  will  not  sleep  much  to- 
night," said  her  father. 

"  Sleep,  papa !  I  don't  wish  to  sleep !  I  would  like 
to  sail  on  this  beautiful  stream  of  happiness,  without 
interruption,  for  a  week !  But,  dear  papa.  I  shall  soon 
be  myself  again."  They  had  reached  home. 

'*  Well,  Nellie,"  said  the  mother,  "  I  presume  that 
you  had  a  pleasant  time  ?" 

Nellie  could  not  control  herself.  Perhaps  she  did 
not  try. 

"  O,  Mother,  mother  /"  she  cried,  "  I  have  such  good 
news  to  tell  you.  I  have  been  half  crazy  ever  since  I 
found  it  out.  Dick  Jones  has  come  back,  and  we  Lave 
seen  him!" 

"  Nellie  Trevor,"  said  the  mother,  "  I  think  you  are 
a  little  more  than  half  crazy !" 

"  Mother,  dear,  it  is  no  wonder  you  don't  believe  it." 
said  Nellie,  "  but  I  am  telling  you  the  living  truth  !  I 
appeal  to  Mr.  Wyun." 

"  Mrs.  Trevor,"  said  the  new  master,  "  your  daughter 
is  telling  the  simple  truth.  Dick  Jones  1ms  certainly 
returned  from  India.  She  has  seen  him  and  conversed 
with  him." 

Mrs.  Trevor  now  sat  down  completely  overcome  with 
emotion. 


SOME    EXCITEMENT.  311 

"  Mother,  I  have  been  laughing  and  crying  for  two 
hours,"  said  the  daughter,  "and  so  have  all  that  were  at 
Llwyn  y  Derwydd." 

"  How  does  he  look,  Nellie  ?''  asked  the  mother,  mas- 
tering her  feelings. 

"  O,  he  looks  a  nobleman  all  over !"  proudly  answered 
Nellie. 

"And  where  did  you  leave  him  f  asked  the  mother. 

"  We  didn't  leave  him !  We  brought  him  along  with  us, 
and,  mother  deal1,  here  he  is :  no  longer  Thomas  Wyiin, 
but  just  Dick  Jones  of  Pren  y  Gog,  the  new  master  of 
Riverside !"  and  she  ran  around  the  room  clapping  her 
hands. 

Mrs.  Trevor  hardly  knew  what  to  do  or  say,  and  so 
Richard  came  to  her  relief. 

"  I  hope  you  will  pardon  me,  Mrs.  Trevor,  for  this 
bit  of  deception.  It  did  not  continue  long,  and  it  had 
a  very  happy  ending.  I  had  a  hard  struggle  to  keep  it 
up  as  long  as  I  did,  and  I  am  very  glad  that  it  is  over. 
Mi\  Trevor  and  your  daughter  will  tell  you,  in  my  ab- 
sence, how  things  went  at  Druid's  Giove,  and  on  next 
Wednesday  evening  I  am  to  give  a  public  narrative,  at 
the  chapel  at  Llaugobaith,  of  my  shipwreck,  escape  and 
stay  in  India. 

Mrs,  Trevor  rose,  gave  Richard  her  hand,  and  said  : 
"  We  thank  the  Lord  for  your  wonderful  escape,  and 
most  gladly  welcome  you  to  your  home  and  friends  ! 


312  LLAXGOBAITH. 

I  know  you  must  be  til-eel ;  your  room  is  ready  when- 
ever you  wish  to  retire." 

The  young  man  thanked  her,  bade  them  good  night, 
and  went  to  his  room. 

The  next  day  the  whole  family,  with  the  addition  of 
Mary  Humphreys,  met  together  at  the  old  familiar  home- 
stead, and  there  they  had  another  joyful  meeting.  In 
all  the  principality  of  Wales  there  could  not  be  found 
a  happier  company.  In  the  evening,  Dick  and  Mary  went 
to  Druid's  Grove.  The  next  morning  he  sent  word  to 
Riverside  to  have  the  carriage  call  at  Mr.  Lloyd's,  and 
so  about  ten  o'clock  it  came.  Good  wishes  were  ex- 
changed, and  they  were  on  their  way  to  Bangor. 

The  news  that  "Dick  Pren  y  Gog"  had  returned 
from  the  East  Indies  a  rich  man,  and  that  he  was  the 
owner  of  Glan  'r  Afon,  spread  like  wild-fire  throughout 
all  that  region  of  country.  The  fact  that  for  three 
years  he  had  been  considered  dead,  added  much  to  the 
enthusiasm.  It  was  the  great  theme  of  conversation 
among  old  and  young.  Crowds  visited  the  humble  res- 
idence of  Evan  Jones  to  inquire  about  him,  and  were 
satisfied  with  the  assurance  that  they  would  hear  all 
about  it  from  his  own  lips,  at  the  chapel,  on  Wednesday 
night. 

"  Siloam,"  on  the  appointed  evening,  was  crowded  to 
its  utmost  capacity.  A  most  earnest  prayer  was  offered 


SOME   EXCITEMENT.  313 

by  Llewelyn,  while  heartfelt  responses  freely  resound- 
ed throughout  the  congregation. 

The  speaker  was  appropriately  introduced  to  the 
audience,  and,  although  at  that  day,  cheering  in  a 
Welsh  chapel  was  not  encouraged,  for  this  ouce  those 
sacred  walls  echoed  with  loud  applause. 


20 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE    NARRATIVE. 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,"  said  the  speaker,  with  a 
smile  on  his  countenance,  "  you  well  know  that  Dick 
Jones  is  not  a  public  speaker.  You  do  not  expect  elo- 
quence or  philosophy.  You  have  come  together  to  hear 
the  plain  narrative  of  one  brought  up  in  humble  life, 
and  a  stranger  to  the  higher  branches  of  education. 

Our  voyage  was  rough  throughout.  \Ve  first  encount- 
ered a  severe  gale  at  the  head  of  the  Bay  of  Biscay, 
which  lasted  forty-eight  hours.  I  greatly  enjoyed  the 
sea,  and  almost  welcomed  the  gales.  We  had  rounded 
Ibe  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  were  east  of  Madagascar, 
entering  into  the  Indian  Ocean,  when  we  were  over- 
taken by  a  dead  calm.  This  continued  for  two  days  when, 
to  the  joy  of  all,  one  morning  about  six  o'clock,  a  fresh 
breeze  blew  from  the  west,  and  the  Bombay  was  again 
on  her  way.  At  the  close  of  that  day  the  western  sky 
showed  signs  which  Captain  Bradley  did  not  consider 
favorable. 

'"What  do  those  fellows  in  the  west  say  to  you,  Mr. 
Bigelow  f  asked  the  captain,  pointing  to  the  clouds. 

'  They  tell  me  that  they  are  busily  engaged  in  work- 


THE    NARRATIVE.  315 

ing  up  a  storin  that  will  overtake  us,  sir,'  said  the  first 
mate. 

'You  are  correct,  Mr.  Bigelow,'  said  the  captain, 
*  Send  the  men  aloft  at  once  and  reef  the  foresail  and 
close  reef  the  main-topsail.' 

The  order  was  given,  and  we  ran  aloft  and  everything 
was  well  secured.  The  wind  was  gaining  in  strength 
every  hour,  and  already  it  was  tempestuous.  Other 
sheets  were  closely  reefed,  and  by  morning  the  Bombay 
presented  a  bare  appearance.  The  sea  was  in  a  perfect 
fury,  and  thus  it  continued  and  increased  in  wildness 
throughout  the  long  day.  Darkness  overtook  us,  and 
such  darkness  I  had  never  witnessed.  It  seemed  as  if 
the  firmament,  in  all  its  horrid  blackness,  had  fallen 
and  was  crushing  us.  Daylight,  such  as  it  was,  again 
appeared.  It  only  revealed  a  more  terrible  sight  than 
that  of  the  day  before  At  seven  in  the  morning,  our 
galley  was  swept  overboard,  and  at  ten  the  topsail  was 
carried  away.  Owing  to  the  entire  absence  of  the  sun. 
it  was  impossible  to  know  how  far  we  had  drifted.  The 
storm  was  yet  in  the  height  of  its  madness. 

'  Starboard  watch,  man  the  pumps !'  cried  the  sec- 
ond mate.  'Shake  her  jp  lively,  my  lads!' 

'Aye,  aye,  sir !'  we  heartily  responded.  We  joined  in 
our  familial-  pumping  choruses  with  as  much  heartiness 
as  we  did  in  fair  weather.  In  half  an  hour  the  water 
gained  upon  us,  and  the  officers  found  out,  to  their  ut- 


316  LLANGOBAITH. 

ter  consternation,  that  the  ship  had  sprung  a  leak  !  For 
hours  we  continued  at  the  pumps,  but  to  no  purpose, 
and  by  order  of  the  captain  we  were  commanded  to  go 
aft.  He  met  us  with  a  cheerful  countenance,  and  thus 
addressed  us : 

'  My  men,  I  have  called  you  here  to  thank  you  for 
your  noble  sailorlike  behavior  during  this  long  and 
stormy  voyage.  To  all  appearance,  the  Bombay  is  about 
to  bo  lost.  We  shall  do  our  duty  to  the  very  last  mo- 
ment, and  when  it  comes  to  the  worst,  we  shall  meet 
our  fate  like  men.  Now,  Mr.  Bigelow,  you  may  order 
one  watch  to  the  pumps  and  the  other  to  have  in  read- 
iness the  long  boats.1 

Every  man  was  swift  to  do  his  duty.  The  leak 
gained  upon  us  in  a  fearful  manner. 

'  Mr.  Bigelow,'  said  the  captain,  in  hurried  words, 
'  let  the  lead  be  thrown  overboard !  By  the  looks  of 
those  waves,  I  suspect  we  have  no  deep  soundings.' 

This  was  done,  and  '  six  fathoms !'  was  sung  out. 

'  Captain  Bradley,  we  are  close  on  breakers  !  Shall 
we  drop  an  anchor,  sir  ?'  cried  the  first  mate. 

•  Let  go  the  starboard  anchor !'  cried  the  captain. 

In  a  moment  the  anchor  was  dropped.  But  the  vio- 
lence of  the  storm,  and  the  immense  weight  of  the  ship, 
caused  the  anchor  to  drag.  Presently  the  ship's  stern 
struck  with  a  fearful  violence,  and  the  mizzen  mast,  with 
a  terrible  crash,  fell  overboard.  By  this  time  the  an- 


THE    NABBATIVE.  317 

chor  kept  the  ship  from  drifting,  while  it  continued  to 
beat  violently  against  the  breakers.  The  boats  were 
quickly  supplied  with  water  and  provisions,  as  well  as 
with  quadrants  and  compasses.  We  were  divided  into 
three  parties  under  the  command  of  the  captain  and  the 
two  mates.  I  was  to  be  in  the  boat  with  the  captain. 

I  knew  we  were  about  to  leave  the  ship.  I  ran  to  the 
forecastle,  opened  my  chest,  seized  my  little  Welsh  Bi- 
ble which  my  mother  gave  me  the  day  I  left  home,  put 
it  in  an  inside  pocket  of  my  waistcoat,  locked  up  my 
chest,  put  the  key  in  my  pocket  and  joined  my  com- 
panions. 

The  boats  were  soon  in  the  water,  and  the  Bombay 
was  abandoned.  We  soon  found  that  our  condition 
was  well  nigh  hopeless.  How  our  companions  of  the 
other  boats  were  doing,  we  could  not  tell.  By  reason 
of  the  darkness,  the  captain  was  no  longer  able  to  see 
the  huge  waves,  and  was  less  effective  at  the  helm. 
Our  boat's  side  became  partially  turned  to  the  wind,  a 
Luge  billow  took  it,  and  in  a  moment  we  were  upset.  It 
was  so  sudden  that  there  was  no  struggle.  When  I  came 
up  I  could  see  the  boat  with  its  bottom  upward,  and  in 
a  moment  I  lost  sight  of  it.  I  could  see  none  of  my 
companions,  and  I  did  not  hear  any  cry.  I  was  a  good 
swimmer  from  early  childhood,  and  I  kept  myself  afloat 
without  much  trouble.  I  know  not  how  long  I  had 
thus  drifted,  when  I  found  myself  in  contact  with  a 


318  LLANGOBAITH. 

piece  of  wreck,  which  evidently  was  not  a  part  of  the 
Bombay.  I  eagerly  clung  to  it  and  found  that  much 
of  it  was  under  water.  With  a  great  effort  I  reached 
the  upper  portion  and  was  able  to  sit  down.  Suddenly 
the  wind  ceased,  and  before  a  great  while  I  could  see 
the  stars.  At  last  the  morning  dawned,  and  the  sea 
was  much  more  pacific.  After  some  hours,  I  could 
dimly  see  in  the  southwest  what  resembled  land,  and 
I  was  glad  to  know  that  I  was  drifting  that  way.  I 
took  out  of  my  pocket  my  soaked  Bible,  read  the  23d 
Psalm,  aud  committed  myself  to  the  tender  care  of  the 
Shepherd  of  Israel.  Onward  my  piece  of  wreck  slowly 
moved,  and  I  was  more  sure  I  was  in  sight  of  land,  and 
that  it  was  not  far  away.  My  spirit  greatly  revived, 
and  I  drifted  along  for  another  hour.  Soon  my  heart 
leaped  for  joy  !  Not  far  away  I  saw  a  large  canoe,  pad- 
dled by  two  men,  approaching.  I  was  saved !  They 
were  natives,  strange  in  features  and  language,  but  at 
the  moment  I  hailed  them,  as  angels  from  heaven. 
Their  countenances  denoted  compassion,  and  I  knew 
they  were  friendly.  In  about  two  hours  we  reached 
the  shore. 

The  appearance  of  things  indicated  that  this  little 
groupe  had  but  recently  reached  this  remote,  desolate 
little  island.  I  learned  after  this  that  they  had  fled 
from  the  violence  of  some  hostile  Indians.  They  were 
low  in  the  scale  of  humanity,  and  yet  possessing  a  kind 


THE    NARRATIVE.  319 

disposition.  The  women  and  the  children  at  first 
shunned  me,  but  soon,  however,  concluded  that  I  be- 
longed to  some  tribe  of  the  human  race.  I  was  able  to 
make  them  understand  that  I  was  very  hungry,  and  the 
men  put  before  me  some  pieces  of  fowl,  fish  and  rice, 
which,  under  the  circustances,  proved  quite  palatable. 

It  was  about  two  weeks  after  I  landed,  that  in  com- 
pany with  Lago,  a  lad  who,  perhaps,  was  twelve  years 
of  age,  I  wandered  until  I  came  to  the  brink  of  a 
rivulet.  Through  its  clear  water  I  saw  a  number  of 
shining  substances.  I  went  into  the  water  and  found 
that  they  were  pieces  of  solid  gold,  without  any  mix- 
ture of  dross.  I  became  excited  over  my  discovery. 
The  lad  looked  upon  me  with  a  smile,  and  seemed  to 
pity  my  folly.  I  carefully  marked  the  spot  and  we  re- 
turned home.  I  showed  my  host  the  gold,  and  he 
treated  it  with  more  indifference  than  did  the  boy. 

The  next  morning  the  two  men  who  had  rescued  me 
started  in  the  same  canoe  on  a  fishing  excursion,  while 
I  went  in  search  of  more  gold,  which  I  found  in  rich 
abundance.  In  the  afternoon  I  returned  and  deposited 
my  treasure  in  a  hollow  stone,  without  any  fear  of  its 
being  stolen.  The  men  were  returning,  and  near  the 
shore.  In  one  end  of  the  canoe  there  was  an  elevated 
something,  over  which  the  men  had  thrown  a  covering. 
I  met  them  at  the  landing  place  ready  to  render  them 
assistance,  and  there,  to  ray  utter  astonishment,  I  found 


320  LLANGOBAITH. 

my  own  familiar  sea  chest!  I  clapped  my  hands  in 
perfect  ecstacy.  As  well  as  I  could,  I  informed  them 
that  the  chest  belonged  to  me,  and  that  it  had  floated 
from  the  wreck.  They  understood  me.  The  inmates 
of  the  cabins  were  given  to  understand  that  the  box 
was  mine.  I  took  the  key,  which  I  had  carefully  kept, 
put  it  in  the  lock,  the  chest  was  opened,  and  I  found 
all  my  things  perfectly  dry !  The  man  at  Liverpool 
who  had  made  it  assured  me  that  as  long  as  it  was  kept 
locked  not  a  drop  of  water  could  enter  it.  I  first 
brought  out  my  violin,  put  the  instrument  in  tune,  and 
played  '  God  Save  the  King,'  which  perfectly  delighted 
the  whole  company.  I  then  played  on  the  clarionet. 
The  overhauling  of  the  articles  took  some  time.  I  gave 
them  a  large  number  of  presents,  with  which  they  were 
greatly  delighted. 

Without  much  change  in  niy  mode  of  proceeding,  I 
remained  with  this  people  for  two  years.  I  imparted 
to  them  some  instruction  in  the  preparation  of  food  and 
the  cultivation  of  rice,  which  they  slowly  adopted.  I 
now  anxiously  longed  for  civilization  and  home.  I  gave 
up  gold  gathering,  being  well  satisfied  with  the  sum 
deposited  in  my  chest.  Borga  well  knew  that  I  was 
daily  watching  for  a  sail,  and  had  promised  to  help  me 
whenever  I  desired  assistance. 

One  morning  we  sat  together  on  an  elevation  near 
the  shore.  I  took  my  excellent  telescope  and  surveyed 


THE    NARRATIVE. 


321 


the  ocean,  and  to  my  great  joy  my  glass  brought  to 
view  a  vessel  in  the  distance,  and  it  was  evident  to  me 
that  it  was  nearing  the  island.  In  about  half  an  hour 
it  became  visible  to  the  naked  eye.  I  asked  Borga  to 
leave  for  home,  and  have  the  canoe  in  readiness.  He 
left,  and  I  remained  on  the  hill  for  another  hour.  I 
then  hastened  down  to  join  the  men.  My  two  friends 
assisted  in  bringing  out  my  chest,  which,  by  the  way, 
was  quite  heavy.  The  rest  well  understood  what  was 
going  on.  There  were  tears  in  their  eyes,  and  Laggo 
fairly  sobbed.  He  had  become  greatly  attached  to  me, 
and  I  had  taught  him  to  play  several  pieces  on  the  vio- 
lin. I  had  also  taught  Kroonah  to  play  on  the  clari- 
onet. I  again  opened  my  chest,  and  gladly  parted 
with  everything  I  could  spare.  I  handed  Laggo  my 
violin  and  asked  )im  to  play  for  me  once  more.  The 
poor  boy,  with  tearful  eyes,  played  '  God  Save  the 
King,'  and  with  quivering  lips,  handed  me  back  the 
instrument. 

'  O,  no,  Laggo!1  I  said,  'the  violin  is  yours  for  ever  ! 
Keep  it  in  remembrance  of  Dick  Jones.' 

The  boy's  countenance  plainly  showed  the  depth  of 
his  gratitude.  I  then  gave  my  clarionette  to  Kroonah. 
which  he  took  with  many  gestures  of  thanks.  I  then 
gave  my  telescope  to  Borga.  He  was  overjoyed,  while 
the  women  and  the  smaller  children  rejoiced  in  their 
wild  heathen  fashion.  I  closed  my  chest  and  had  it 


322  LLANOOBAITH. 

carried  into  the  boat.  With  moistened  eyes  and  a 
choking  sensation,  I  parted  with  the  women  .and  chil- 
dren, jumped  into  the  canoe  and  took  my  place  at  the 
helm,  while  the  men  pulled  at  the  oars. 

We  pointed  due  west,  and  when  about  five  miles  from 
our  starting  point,  I  judged  that  we  were  near  the  ship's 
course.  I  asked  Borga  for  the  glass.  I  put  it  to  my 
eye,  and  the  first  object  I  saw  was  the  British  flag  wav- 
ing in  the  breeze !  '  It  is  enough,'  I  cried,  with  much 
feeling.  We  again  started.  The  mammoth  propor- 
tions of  the  ship  filled  my  men  with  terror.  I  assured 
them  that  they  had  nothing  to  fear,  and  they  calmed 
down.  At  a  point,  which  I  considered  suitable,  I  stood 
up  and  cried  at  the  top  of  my  voice — 

'Ship  ahoy!' 

'  Aye,  aye,  sir !'  was  the  laughing  answer.  'And  who 
are  you.  and  what  is  the  name  of  your  ship  f 

'  I  am  an  English  sailor,  once  shipwrecked,  picked  up 
by  Indians,  and  carried  to  a  well  nigh  desolate  island/ 
I  cried  out. 

'  You  have  an  honest  face,'  said  the  man,  '  but  ship- 
wrecked sailors  are  not  in  the  habit  of  swimming  ashore 
with  their  sea  chests  on  their  backs.' 

'  It  is  a  strange  story,  sir,'  I  said,  '  but  as  sure  as  I 
am  a  Welshman,  this  chest  was  picked  up  in  two  weeks 
after  the  ship  went  to  pieces.' 


THE    NARRATIVE.  32$ 

*•  And  what  was  the  name  of  your  ship  T  was  the  next 
question. 

'  The  Bombay,  sir,'  I  replied,  '  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Bradley,  as  able  and  kind  a  master  as  ever  walked 
a  quarter-deck/ 

'Correct,  my  man  !'  he  answered,  in  a  loud  voice,  a» 
he  threw  over  the  side  the  ship's  ladder.  '  Now  bring 
your  craft  along  side.  Two  of  you  men  get  that  chest 
aboard  and  give  it  a  careful  handling.  Now  be  lively.' 

'  Aye,  aye,  sir,'  and  it  was  safely  on  deck. 

I  tried  to  persuade  the  Indians  to  go  on  board  to  see 
the  wonders  of  the  ship,  but  they  refused.  I  bade  them 
farewell,  and  they  pulled  away  with  desperate  speed.  I 
looked  after  them  from  the  ladder  on  which  I  stood, 
waved  my  hat,  and  then  sprang  on  board.' 

The  man  who  had  spoken  with  me  was  a  fine  looking 
Englishman,  while  the  finished  sailor  was  visible  in  his 
every  movement.  He  invited  me  to  his  room. 

'  Well  Richard,'  said  he,  (he  had  seen  my  name  on  the 
chest),  'I  should  like  to  hear  a  little  more  of  your  his- 
tory.' 

'I  will  give  it  most  gladly,  sir,'  I  said,  and  did  so,  but 
said  nothing  in  regard  to  the  gold. 

'  This  ship  is  the  Borealis,  and  it  belongs  to  Bombay, 
where  we  are  bound,'  said  he.  '  Please  remain  here  for 
a  short  time.  I  will  report  you  to  the  captain,  who  is. 


;324  LLANGOBAITH. 

very  busy  with  some  papers.  I  am  the  first  mate,  and 
my  name  is  Boriner,'  and  he  left  for  the  cabin. 

'What  has  been  going  on,  on  deck,  Mr.  Bonner,' 
asked  the  captain.  '  Has  any  one  boarded  us  f  (This 
I  learned  afterwards.) 

'  Two  Indians  brought  us  an  English  sailor,  sir.  who 
relates  an  exciting  adventure,'  said  the  mate.  '  I  think 
he  tells  a  true  story." 

'  I  should  like  to  ask  the  fellow  a  few  questions  my- 
self,'said  the  captain.  'Bring  him  to  the  cabin,  Mr. 
Bonner.' 

The  mate  returned,  and  to  the  cabin  I  went,  feeling  a 
little  uneasy. 

The  chief  officer,  with  his  back  toward  UP,  was  busily 
engaged  with  his  papers. 

'  Captain  Bradley,'  said  the  mate,  with  some  emotion, 
'  This  is  Richard  Jones,  formerly  of  Liverpool,  who 
claims  acquaintance  with  the  captain  of  the  Bombay.' 

The  captain  turned  around,  jumped  to  his  feet,  and 
in  a  moment  I  was  in  his  arms  !  We  both  wept  like  lit- 
tle children.  The  mate  also  was  affected.  He  bowed, 
and  left. 

Then  followed  a  long  recital  of  our  respective  es- 
capes. The  captain,  after  remaining  in  the  water  some 
time,  saw  the  longboat  close  by.  By  this  time  it  had  been 
righted.  By  an  effort,  he  found  himself  once  more  in 
his  boat.  When  the  storm  subsided  he  unfastened  a 


THE    NAKRATIVE.  325- 

pair  of  oars  secured  to  its  sides,  which  he  used  to  good 
advantage.  He  also  found  water  and  biscuit  in  the 
locker,  and  at  the  end  of  three  days  was  picked  up  by 
a  schooner  bound  for  Bombay,  where  he  was  quickly 
furnished  with  the  Borealis  by  the  same  owners.  He 
had  not  heard  anything  from  the  unfortunate  crew,  and 
he  presumed  that  all  had  been  lost. 

•And  now,  my  dear  Kichard,'  he  said,  'my  next  voy- 
age will  be  to  England.  I  start  in  about  four  ironths. 
From  this  moment  until,  with  the  consent  of  Provi- 
dence, I  land  you  safely  in  Liverpool,  you  are  to  be  my 
guest.' 

'  Captain,'  said  I,  '  I  am  not  worthy  of  such  honors, 
but  I  will  obey  orders.'  I  then  related  to  him  my  gold 
enterprise. 

'  Heaven  bless  you !'  said  he,  '  your  little  island  has 
made  you  rich.  There  is  now  a  great  demand  for  un- 
coined gold,  and  at  Bombay  you  can  easily  exchange  it 
for  coin  or  bills  of  exchange,  Bless  my  soul !  Rich- 
ard, we  have  been  driven  two  hundred  miles  from  our 
course,  or  you  would  never  have  seen  the  Borealis  in 
these  waters.  It  is  hardly  ever  a  ship  heaves  in  view 
of  your  island,  and  it  is  a  wonder  that  you  saw  us.' 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  kindness  I  received  from 
Captain  Bradley.  His  home  in  Bombay  was  my  home. 
The  owners  gladly  took  my  gold  and  gave  me  in  exchange^ 
coin,  and  bills  of  exchange  on  the  Bank  of  England. 


326  LLANGOBAITH. 

The  day  arrived  for  the  Borealis  to  sail.  The  cap- 
tain's wife  and  son  were  to  accompany  us,  and  all  were 
in  fine  spirits.  The  anchor  was  weighed,  and  before  a 
prosperous  breeze  our  noble  ship  was  ploughing  the 
waters  of  the  Arabian  Sea. 

In  six  months  from  the  day  we  left  Bombay  we  an- 
-chored  in  the  Mersey.  In  Liverpool,  during  my  short 
stay  there,  I  received  the  same  kind  treatment  from 
Captain  Bradley. 

One  day,  at  my  hotel,  I  chanced  to  take  up  a  Liver- 
pool paper.  In  large  letters  I  found  the  familiar  name 
'  GLAN  'B  AFON.'  I  read  the  notice.  The  place  was  to 
be  sold  to  the  highest  bidder,  and  that  in  less  than  f  orty- 
•eight  hours.  I  hurried  to  the  bank,  took  what  I  thought 
a  sufficient  sum  to  pay  for  Riverside,  and  hastened  to 
secure  a  passage  for  Wales.  I  reached  Baugor  on  the 
morning  of  the  day  of  sale.  I  procured  a  conveyance 
and  reached  the  spot  in  time.  The  rest  you  know. 
The  little  deception  I  played  for  a  few  hours,  was  the 
hardest  mental  effort  of  my  life.  Our  meeting  in  the 
evening  at  Druid's  Grove  was  an  event  never  to  be  for- 
gotten. Now  that  I  have  reached  my  native  land,  1  in- 
tend here  to  remain  until  I  leave  for  that  '  bourne  from 
whence  no  traveler  returneth.' 

I  thank  you  for  your  presence,  and  the   kind  atten- 
tion you  have  paid  to  my  unadorned  story."' 

When  the  narrative  was  ended  the  audience  gave 


THE    NAERATIVE.  327 

vent  to  its  feeling  in  rapturous  applause.  Llewelyn 
Edwards,  in  behalf  of  the  throng,  thanked  the  speaker 
for  his  interesting  address,  and  declared  the  meeting 
closed. 

Then  came  such  hearty  greetings  as  were  seldom 
witnessed  in  any  country.  The  people  would  not  leave 
without  grasping  the  hand  of  him  whom  they  had 
mourned  as  dead. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

ECCENTRICITY. 

Druid's  Grove  had  now  become  a  point  of  great  at- 
traction to  the  Calvinistic  Methodist  ministers ;  not  only 
as  the  residence  of  Llewelyn  Edwards,  but  also  on  ac 
count  of  the  cordial  welcome  they  received  at  the  hands 
of  Thomas  Lloyd,  who  was  never  so  happy  as  when  en- 
tertaining these  laborious  men  of  God.  Aside  from  its 
yearly  Associations,  this  body  held  meetings  on  a  much 
smaller  scale  every  six  weeks  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  at  which,  besides  preaching,  they  arranged 
the  local  appointments  and  other  matters.  One  of 
these  meetings  was  held  at  Llangobaith  on  the  week 
following  the  one  on  which  our  young  friend  from  In- 
dia delivered  his  narrative.  On  the  morning  succeed- 
ing this  meeting,  there  were  some  half  a  dozen  minis- 
ters seated  in  the  commodious  parlor  of  Druid's  Grove, 
enjoying  a  friendly  visit  before  starting  again  for  their 
various  fields  of  labor.  Their  countenances  denoted 
cheerfulness,  intelligence  and  humor.  No  class  of  men 
enjoy  each  other's  society  in  a  familiar,  friendly  chat, 
more  than  do  gospel  ministers.  Many  of  the  early  dis- 
senting ministers  of  Wales  were  exceedingly  eccentric, 
and  the  peculiarities  of  these  pioneers  were  often  made 


ECCENTRICITY.  329 

the  theme  of  conversation  among  the  preachers  in  their 
social  intercourse.  This  genial  gathering  at  Druid's 
Grove  had  drifted  into  this  strain.  Some  of  the  inci- 
dents and  sayings  mentioned  partook  largely  of  the 
ludicrous,  but  on  that  account  they  were  only  the  more 
acceptable. 

"  Yes,"  said  Rev.  John  Thomas,  "  old  Sienkin,  in  the 
main,  was  a  good  preacher,  and  secured  good  congrega- 
tions. But  he  was  unsafe.  Sometimes  he  would  drop 
suddenly  from  the  finest  thoughts  into  the  most  laugh- 
able absurdities.  He  was  at  one  time  preaching  on  the 
prodigal  son.  In  dwelling  on  the  father's  love  for  the 
erring  boy,  his  language  was  very  touching  and  pathet- 
ic, and  his  hearers  were  much  affected.  But  when  he 
came  to  the  '  fatted  calf,'  he  was  not  quite  so  fortunate. 
"  I  shouldn't  wonder  at  all,  my  brethren,"  he  cried,  in 
his  own  peculiar  tone,  "  if  that  dear  father  had  kept 
that  very  calf  for  years  and  years,  waiting  for  his  son 
to  come  home!"  At  this,  the  mirth  of  the  audience 
became  uncontrollable,  to  the  great  disappointment  of 
old  Sienkin,  who  looked  for  tears  and  not  laughter. 

••  What  did  that  uncommon  levity  mean  during  a  part 
of  my  sermon,  Robert  Davis?"  he  rather  indignantly 
inquired  of  one  of  the  brethren,  after  the  meeting  had 
closed,  "and I  rather  think  that  you  joined  in  it  your- 
self." 

•'  I  did,  indeed,"  said  the  man.     "  We  were  laughing 


330  LLANGOBAJTH. 

at  that  wonderful  '  fatted  calf,'  that  was  so  accommo- 
dating as  to  remain  a  tender  veal  for  "years  and  years.'  " 

Sienkin  saw  the  point,  pronounced  himself  an  hen 
$wl  (old  fool)  and  declared  the  levity  to  be  perfectly 
justifiable. 

"Perhaps  of  all  the  preachers  we  had  in  the  principal- 
ity, no  one  was  more  peculiar  or  eccentric  than  Robert 
Thomas,"  said  Rev.  John  James,  "and  there  were  but 
very  few  that  were  more  talented  in  the  pulpit.  Yet. 
in  many  things,  he  •seemed  to  be  as  ignorant  as  an  in- 
fant. At  one  time  he  published  a  very  small  volume  of 
his  poems.  He  ordered  one  thousand  copies,  and  he 
got  the  impression  that  this  would  be  an  enormous 
quantity.  He  would  often  inquire,  with  deep  anxiety, 
how  they  could  be  brought  from  the  publisher's,  at 
Bala,  to  Ffestiniog. '  '  I  wonder,'  said  he,  '  if  the  four 
horse  wagon  of  JRhyd  y  Fen  can  bring  them  all  at  once?' 
Then  addressing  his  wife,  he  said :  '  Sarah,  you  must 
empty  that  large  clothes  press  ;  we  can  put  many  of 
them  in  that.  And  then  you  can  move  the  things  from 
that  long  shelf  in  the  kitchen.  We  shall  need  it  only 
for  about  two  weeks ;  by  that  time  the  books  will  be 
sent  to  the  subscribers.  And  if  we  need  more  room? 
we  can  move  the  parlor  table  and  pile  them  in  that  cor- 
ner/ That  is  the  manner  in  which  this  great  man 
dreamed  about  the  bulk  of  a  thousand  very  small  vol- 
umes of  his  poems." 


ECCENTBICITY.  331 

One  afternoon  the  hired  servant  of  Rhyd  y  Fen 
brought  in  his  arms  a  good  sized  bundle,  and  said: 
"Here  is  something  from  Mr.  Saunderson,  Bala,  for 
Robert  Thomas." 

"  But  where  are  the  rest,  my  good  man  f  asked  Mr. 
Thomas,  in  astonishment.  "  Why  should  he  send  these 
few  copies  ?" 

"  That  is  all  he  gave  me,"  said  the  man,  "and  he  said 
nothing  about  any  more." 

"  Well,"  said  Robert  Thomas,  "  you  can  bring  them 
all  next  time.  Tell  your  master  I  would  be  very  glad 
to  get  them,  even  if  for  once  he  should  not  bring  any 
flour." 

"  Robert,"  said  Mrs.  Thomas,  "  the  book,  you  know, 
is  a  small  one,  and  they  may  be  all  in  that  bundle." 

"All  in  that  bundle!"  cried  Robert  Thomas,  out  of 
all  patience.  "  Sarah,  you  have  lost  what  little  com- 
mon sense  you  ever  had!  A  thousand  'Gleanings 
from  the  Field  of  Boaz,'  in  that  little  bundle  !" 

He  opened  the  parcel,  and  to  his  utter  astonishment 
he  found  a  thousand  copies.  The  clothes  press  was 
not  disturbed,  the  long  shelf  was  not  molested,  the 
parlor  table  remained  as  it  was,  and  Robert  Thomas 
humbly  apologized  for  the  reflection  he  had  cast  upon 
Sarah's  common  sense. 

"How  about  that  spider,  Mr.  James?"  asked  a  young 
minister  by  the  name  of  Hugh  Evans. 


332  LLANGOBAITH. 

"  That  was  at  Pant,  G-las,  near  Bala,"  said  Mr.  James- 
"  He  was  in  the  middle  of  a  splendid  sermon,  when  he 
spied  a  small  spider  descending  by  his  web  from  the  ceil- 
ing and  approaching  the  front  of  the  pulpit.  The  preach- 
er at  once  spread  out  his  open  hands,  ready  for  execution, 
but  kept  on  preaching  with  all  his  might,  with  his  eye 
fixed  upon  some  object,  which  the  congregation  did  not 
see.  At  last  those  open  hands  came  together  with  such 
a  force  as  to  make  the  walls  of  the  chapel  ring,  and  the 
poor  spider  was  no  more.  '  There,1  said  the  minister? 
in  a  lower  tone,  as  between  parenthesis,  '  that  is  the 
end  of  Aim/'  He  then,  without  the  least  embarrass- 
ment, finished  his  discourse." 

"  This  is  certainly  very  amusing,"  said  Kev.  Morgan 
Griffiths,  "and  I  could  well  enjoy  it  for  an  hour  longer, 
but  I  shall  be  under  the  necessity  of  leaving  very  soon, 
so  let  Robert  Thomas  and  the  spider  end  our  stories." 

"Just  a  minute  longer,  if  you  please,"  said  Levi 
Thomas.  "  Mr.  Jones,  who  was  it  that  called  the  Gla- 
morganites  Salamanders,  and  what  were  the  circum- 
stances ?" 

"  O,  that  is  soon  told,"  was  the  reply.  "  You  sea, 
David  Evans,  from  the  north,  had  been  in  the  land  of 
flames  and  furnaces  preaching,  and  when  he  returned 
from  the  south,  some  of  the  ministers  asked  him  if  he 
had  had  good  success  in  Glamorganshire." 

••  Well,  yes,  upon  the  whole,  but  not  at  first,"  said 


ECCENTRICITY.  333 

he.  '•!  had  a  sermon  upon  the  burning  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah.  I  preached  it  repeatedly,  but  every  time  it 
fell  perfectly  flat.  You  see,  those  old  Salamanders 
were  so  used  to  fire  that  it  didn't  affect  them  at  all. 
But  I  had  a  sermon  on  the  deluge  that  took  splendidly, 
and  produced  a  wonderful  effect." 

The  company  now  arose,  and  after  an  affectionate 
parting  with  the  family  at  Druid's  Grove,  the  itinerants 
went  then-  way  toward  their  respective  appointments. 


We  will  not  undertake  a  description  of  that  unspeak- 
able bliss  that  filled  the  devoted  hearts  of  Dick  Jones 
and  Mary  Humphreys  since  they  had  been  restored  to 
each  other ;  those  hours  of  unmixed  pleasure  in  telling 
over  the  joys  and  sorrows,  hopes  and  fears,  clouds  and 
sunshine,  they  h^d  experienced  since  that  night,  over 
six  years  before,  on  which  they  parted  with  tears  at  the 
kitchen  door  of  Druid's  Grove. 

Soon  after  completing  the  business  with  Pugh's 
agent,  Richard  made  an  arrangement  with  Mr.  Trevor 
to  make  his  home  at  Riverside  for  the  present  The 
house  was  commodious,  and  there  was  abundance  of 
room  to  spare.  This  gave  much  satisfaction  to  all  con- 
cerned. To  Mr.  Trevor  it  was  a  financial  gain,  and  the 
boarder  was  near  his  family,  and  in  the  midst  of  his 
friends. 

In  Wales,  among  th  e  festivals  of  the  year,  none  com- 


334  LLANGOBAITH. 

pares  in  importance  with  that  of  Christmas.  It  is  so  nowr 
and  it  was  so  then.  The  festivities  were  not  confined 
to  the  day  proper  ;  they  began  before,  and  continued 
after.  It  was  a  season  of  general  rejoicing  and  happy 
greetings.  The  well-to-do  remembered  the  poor,  al- 
though in  many  instances,  on  the  part  of  many,  this 
was  sadly  neglected.  Within  the  surroundings  of  Llan- 
gobaith,  there  were  quite  a  number  of  needy  parentsr 
who  could  not  enjoy  a  Christmas  dinner  with  their  lit- 
tle ones,  even  on  a  small  scale,  unless  they  were  remem- 
bered by  some  benevolent  heart. 

Just  then  there  was  in  that  vicinity,  at  least  one 
such  heart.  He  well  remembered  a  little  boy,  many 
years  before,  whose  heart  had  often  beat  with  joy  a& 
Mrs.  Lloyd,  or  some  other  benevolent  person,  would 
send  to  Pren  y  Gog  materials  for  merry'  Christmas  in 
the  shape  of  flour,  a  dressed  goose,  with,  some  times, 
pairs  of  shoes  for  little  destitute  feet.  Yes,  he  thought 
of  that  time  with  a  tear  in  his  eye,  a  smile  on  his  lips,, 
and  a  very  good  purpose  in  his  heart. 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  master,  after  a  long  conversa- 
tion with  Trevor.  "  Let  him  bring,  to-morrow,  from 
Bangor,  twenty  baskets,  into  each  of  which  you  can 
put  a  dressed  goose,  a  piece  of  bacon,  and  a  small  bag 
of  flour ;  for  which  I  shall  have  the  great  pleasure  of 
paying  you  a  good  price." 


ECCENTRICITY.  335 

"All  that  will  be  strictly  attended  to,  Mr.  Jones," 
said  Mr.  Trevor. 

The  baskets  were  well  filled  and  labeled ;  and  on  the 
day  before  Christmas,  Kobin  Jones  of  Druid's  Grove, 
and  John  Pritchard  of  Riverside,  with  their  respective 
conveyances,  started  on  their  benevolent  mission,  with 
the  instruction  to  make  no  explanation,  but  simply  to 
say  that  the  baskets  were  presents  as  well  as  their  con- 
tents. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

CHKISTMAS    EVE    AND    "  PLYGAIX." 

On  JVbs  Nadolig  (Christmas  Eve),  above  all  other 
eves  in  the  round  year,  the  young  people,  with  a  fair 
sprinkling  of  those  older  in  years,  would  assemble  in 
different  neighborhoods  and  spend  the  most  of  the 
night  in  innocent  mirth.  Their  amusements  were  va- 
rious. One  feature  was  the  making  and  pulling  of 
cyflaith  (molasses  candy.)  At  what  period  this  custom 
began,  we  cannot  tell ;  but  it  is  ancient  as  well  as  uni- 
versal. To  see  a  boy  or  a  girl  among  the  peasantry  on 
Christmas  day,  without  a  good  supply  of  taffy,  was  an 
unusual  sight.  The  writer  remembers,  with  lively 
emotions,  the  delightful  features  of  many  a  Nos  Nadolig 
in  Llanddeiniolen  over  fifty  years  ago.  In  these  gath- 
erings there  was  also  what  was  termed  codi  afalmi 
oV  dwr,  or  bobbing  for  apples.  A  good  number  of 
fair  sized  apples  were  thrown  into  a  large  tub,  half 
filled  with  water.  A  very  slight  touch  would  cause 
the  fruit  to  sink  below  the  surface,  and  to  secure  an  ap- 
ple by  simple  suction  was  not  an  easy  matter,  and  the 
effort  would  cause  much  merriment.  When  a  victory 
was  won,  the  prize  was  handed  over  by  the  fortunate 
swain  to  some  favorite  maiden,  who  would  accept  the 


CHRISTMAS    EVE    AND    "  PLTGAIN."  337 

compliment  with  blushing  delight.  They  had  another 
laughable  performance.  A  string  was  fastened  to  the 
ceiling,  and  the  other  end  to  a  short  stick  in  such  a 
way  as  to  balance  an  apple  at  one  end  and  a  lighted 
candle  at  the  other.  To  snatch  the  apple  with  the  lips, 
and  yet  escape  the  candle,  was  the  aim  of  the  compet- 
itors, and  in  the  great  majority  of  efforts  the  candle 
would  come  in  contact  with  their  hair,  and  create  bursts 
of  laughter.  After  a  wholesome  repast,  the  company 
would  generally  settle  down  into  hearing  and  telling 
stories.  The  most  popular  of  these  were  of  the  ghost 
and  fairy  type,  or  anything  that  had  a  touch  of  the  su- 
pernatural. 

It  was  about  two  weeks  before  Christmas,  and  Gwen- 
nie  thus  addressed  her  father : 

"  Papa,  I  would  be  delighted  to  give  Robin  Jones, 
during  these  Christmas  holidays,  some  special  proof  of 
the  high  estimation  in  which  we  hold  him.  Let  him. 
at  our  expense,  on  next  Christmas  Eve,  entertain  his 
friends  at  our  commodious  kitchen.  Let  us  provide 
for  them  a  good  supper,  and  this  will  please  him  much 
more  than  anything  we  can  ghne  him  in  the  shape  of  a 
present." 

"This  strikes  me  favorably,"  said  Mr.  Lloyd,  "and 
you  may  tell  Robin  that  it  is  for  his  sake." 

"Thank  you,  papa!"  said  Gwennie,  and  she  went 
and  revealed  the  matter  to  Robin,  who  was  deeply  af- 


338  LLANGOBAITH. 

fected  by  the  sudden  news,  and  especially  the  motive 
that  prompted  the  movement. 

That  Wo s  Nd'lolifj  at  Druid's  Grove  surpassed  in 
enjoyment  anything  of  the  kind  ever  known  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Llangobaith.  The  company  was  large,  made 
up  of  choice  young  men  and  maidens  from  the  sur- 
rounding peasantry,  with  a  few  older  friends.  The 
usual  features  were  fully  carried  out,  and  gladness 
beamed  in  every  countenance.  Occasionally,  the  family 
went  in  to  smile  upon  their  youthful  hilarity  and  to 
assure  them  of  a  cordial  welcome. 

After  an  abundant  feast,  the  tables  were  cleared,  and 
the  closing  feature  was  story-telling.  There  were  those 
present  who  were  perfectly  at  home  in  that  line,  and 
were  never  found  without  a  fresh  supply. 

"I'll give  you  Ijlwyn  y  Nefoedd"  (Grove  of  Heaven), 
said  Ellis  Thomas.  "  There  was  in  the  olden  times  in 
Olynog  Fawr,  in  Carnarvonshire,  a  very  pious  monk. 
He  often  spent  hours  together  in  meditating  on  the 
splendid  scenery  of  the  heavenly  world.  He  also  had 
one  longing  desire  to  have  while  yet  below,  one  glimpse 
of  the  better  land.  One  day,  about  vesper  time,  the 
question  arose  in  his  mind,  'Can  the  bliss  of  heaven 
retain  its  sweetness  and  freshness  to '  all  eternity  ? 
Will  not  the  period  arrive  in  the  great  hereafter  when 
even  the  melody  of  the  upper  sanctuary  shall  become 
monotonous  ?' 


CHRISTMAS    EVE    AND    "PLYGAIN. 

With  these  questions  in  his  mind,  he  was  slowly 
walking  along  the  banks  of  a  silvery  stream  not  far 
from  the  monastery.  Nature  was  retiring  to  rest,  and 
the  feathered  songsters  in  the  grove  had  well  nigh 
ceased  their  melodious  warbling.  He  slowly  pursued 
his  way,  while  his  thoughts  were  full  of  heaven.  The 
stream  hastened  toward  the  ocean,  and  the  monk  pene- 
trated farther  into  the  beautiful  grove.  Presently  the 
most  delightful  warbling  music  fell  upon  his  ears.  He 
sat  down  beneath  the  shade  of  a  green  tree,  and  fell 
into  a  blissful  trance.  The  melody  continued,  and  time 
sped  on.  The  monk  was  oblivious  of  all  below,  and  in 
heavenly  ecstacy  he  listened  to  the  strange  music.  At 
last  he  heard  a  voice,  '  Sleeper,  arise !'  He  arose,  and 
after  some  wandering  in  the  grove  he  found  his  way 
out.  To  his  astonishment,  he  found  that  all  things 
had  changed.  The  old  monastery  was  there,  it  is  true, 
but  every  house,  cot,  wall  and  stile  had  been  moved 
since  he  saw  them  last.  He  went  into  the  monastery,, 
but  no  one  knew  him,  and  he  knew  no  one.  He  was 
treated  kindly  and  conducted  to  a  soft  seat.  His  ven- 
erable appearance  commanded  respect.  In  utter  bewil- 
derment, he  looked  around  him  and  cried  out : 

'  O,  Arglwydd  Dduw,  pa  le  maem  pobl  ?'  (O,  Lord 
God,  where  are  my  people  ?) 

'But  who  art  thou,  and  where  hast  thou   been?" 
asked  a  priest. 


'340  LLANGOBAITH. 

'I  aru  a  monk  of  this  monastery,'  was  the  reply. 
'  One  short  hour  ago,  as  it  seenis  to  me,  I  went  to  yon- 
der grove,  and  in  listening  to  some  wonderful  bird 
melody  I  fell  into  a  heavenly  trance.  I  awoke,  and 
what  means  this  strange  transformation?' 

'And  what  is  thy  name,  venerable  father?'  asked  the 
priest. 

'  This  morning  they  called  me  Father  Ignatius,'  said 
the  old  monk,  gazing  around  in  wonderment. 

'Ignatius!'  cried  the  priest.  'There  was  such  a 
monk  here  long  ago,  who  mysteriously  disappeared 
and  was  never  found.' 

'  Give  me  a  few  of  the  circumstances !'  cried  the 
stranger,  with  deep  feeling. 

The  priest  took  from  a  shelf  an  ancient  manuscript, 
and  read,  '  On  an  afternoon  in  the  month  of  August  of 
that  year,  Father  Ignatius,  a  most  devout  priest,  left 
the  monastery.  He  was  last  seen  in  the  vicinity  of  a 
grove  near  by.  He  never  returned,  and  as  no  trace  of 
him  could  be  found,  it  is  believed  that  he  was  miracu- 
lously carried  up  into  heaven,  for  he  had  one  longing, 
abiding  desire  to  see  the  glory  of  the  heaven  y  world.' 

'And  when  did  that  take  place?'  asked  the  old  man. 

'  That  was  over  two  hundred  years  ago !'  was  the  an- 
swer. 

'  To  me  it  seems  but  one  brief  hour !'  said  the  monk. 
•*  But  I  am  weary  and  need  rest.' 


CHRISTMAS    EVE    AND    -'PLAGAIN.''  341 

'But  thou  needest  food  also,'  said  the  priest. 

;  Nay,  I  simply  need  rest,'  was  the  answer. 

He  was  conducted  into  a  comfortable  bed-chamber, 
and  when  they  sought  him  they  found  but  a  handful 
of  dust  /" 

"  If  you  don't  object  to  a  goblin  story,  and  a  pretty 
rough  one  at  that,"  said  Twm  y  melini/dd  (Tom  the 
miller),  I  will  give  you  Bwgan  Llanegryn  (Llaneg- 
ryn  goblin.) 

"About  fifty  years  ago,  the  good  people  of  this  place 
in  Merionethshire  were  most  unmercifully  treated  by 
some  unseen  monster.  The  pious  Lewis  Williams 
lived  in  the  vicinity  of  the  trouble,  and  had  often  wit- 
nessed the  antics  of  this  abusive  devil.  Mr.  Williams 
was  a  fearless  old  gentleman,  and  fully  trusting  in  the 
Lord,  he  was  not  afraid  of  a  goblin.  Now  I  will  give 
you  his  own  words — here  they  are :  '  While  with  others 
in  a  field  belonging  to  this  haunted  house,  binding 
wheat,  some  invisible  power  followed  us,  untied  every 
sheaf,  and  scattered  the  grain  in  all  directions.  This 
was  done  three  times  right  before  my  eyes,  on  days 
when  there  was  not  a  breath  of  wind.'  This  is  what 
Lewis  Williams  said.  Well,  after  this  he  thought  he 
would  go  to  the  haunted  house  to  sleep,  hoping  to  put 
an  end  to  this  goblin  disturbance.  But  here  he  found 
no  peace.  Sometimes  the  noise  would  be  under  the 
bed,  again  above  his  head,  and  often  the  pillow  would 


342  LLANGOBAITH. 

be  snatched  away.  At  times  the  whole  house  would  be 
violently  shaken  to  its  foundation.  So  on  this  night 
he  found  no  rest.  But  Lewis  Williams  was  not  dis- 
posed to  give  up  the  contest.  And  so  on  the  next 
night  he  went  with  a  candle  and  a  Bible.  He  made  his 
way  to  the  room  where  they  were  mostly  troubled, 
thinking  of  spending  the  night  in  reading  the  word  of 
God  and  in  prayer.  But  long  before  midnight  the  in- 
visible something  came  on  with  more  fury  than  ever, 
and  in  spite  of  Bible  and  prayer,  he  began  to  throw 
things  about  in  the  most  spiteful  manner.  The  room 
was  filled  with  very  offensive  odor,  and  Williams  was 
obliged  to  retreat. 

After  this  the  family  sought  the  assistance  of  old 
Mr.  Lewis,  the  vicar  of  the  parish,  for  it  was>  under- 
stood that  he  could  master  any  devil  out  of  perdition. 
He  came,  and  it  was  said  the  conflict  was  terrible.  His 
sister,  who  kept  house  for  him,  told  her  neighbors  that 
he  reached  home  in  a  dreadful  plight;  that  his  gar- 
ments had  to  be  hung  out  for  days  to  be  purified  from 
their  sulphurous  and  Satanic  smell,  and  that  his  flesh 
for  a  long  time  savored  of  brimstone.  But  after  that 
night,  the  inmates  of  the  haunted  house  were  not 
troubled;  and  that  is  the  story  of  .Bwyan  Llanegryit.'' 
Here  the  festivities  of  that  Christmas  Eve  came  to  an 
end.  The  company  was  greatly  pleased,  and  Robin 
Jones  stood  higher  in  their  estimation  than  ever.  The 


CHRISTMAS    EVE   AND    "PLAGAIN."  343 

hour  was  late,  and  the  company  dispersed,  in  order  to 
enjoy  a  brief  rest  before  the  meeting  in  the  parish 
church  in  the  morning. 

Among  the  religious  features  of  Christmas  at  that 
time  was  the  Ply  gain,  for  which  I  find  no  single  Eng- 
lish word.  It  means  very  early  in  the  morning.  At 
Llangobaith,  this  CLridtmas  meeting  had  been  held  for 
generations.  It  commenced  about  five  o'clock,  and  con- 
tinued until  daylight.  The  gathering  was  highly  pop- 
ular, owing  to  the  joyous  event  it  commemorated  and 
to  the  attractive  melody  it  presented.  Jn  every  pub- 
lished volume  of  the  old  Welsh  bards  we  have  a  goodly 
number  of  Carolau  Nadolig  (Christmas  carols)  in  a 
variety  of  metres.  For  weeks  before  the  event  the 
best  vocalists  of  the  community  had  prepared  them- 
selves in  this  branch,  and  it  was  generally  understood 
who  were  to  sing  at  the  Plygaiu. 

On  this  occasion  the  church  was  beautifully  decorated, 
while  hundreds  of  lighted  candles  presented  a  grand 
illumination.  The  officiating  clergyman  read  the  morn- 
ing service,  with  additional  lessons  and  prayers  suita- 
ble to  the  "  Nativity.'1  After  this  came  the  singing  of 
carols. 

Never  had  there  been  known  a  Plygain  at  Llangob- 
aith in  which  the  poor  people  showed  such  cheer- 
ful countenances.  The  remembrance  of  those  well 


344  LLAXGOBAITH. 

filled  baskets  at  home  rendered  their  morning  meeting 
doubly  valuable.  The  last  carol  was  sung,  the  meeting 
of  the  early  morn  was  over,  the  congregation  was  dis- 
missed, and  a  perfect  shower  of  "  Merry  Christmas !" 
fell  at  once  from  a  hundred  lips. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

WEDDING    BELLS,    AND    A    DIRGE. 

The  winter  was  over.  Nature  smiled  in  beauty.  The 
meadows  were  dressed  in  living  green.  The  lark  mer- 
rily warbled  in  his  majestic  ascent.  The  thrush  poured 
forth  its  sweetest  strains,  while  the  woods  rang  with 
the  sound  of  melody.  The  joyous  day  had  dawned  on 
which  the  new  master  of  Riverside  and  Mary  Humph- 
reys were  to  be  united  in  holy  matrimony. 

The  old  church  at  Llangobaith  had  never  been  so 
gaily  decorated.  Evergreens  and  flowers,  woven  into 
beautiful  mottoes,  abounded  throughout  the  building, 
while  on  the  outside  the  bridal  party  was  to  pass  under 
spacious  floral  arches,  on  a  pathway  strewn  with  roses. 
All  along  the  road  from  Druid's  Grove  to  Llangobaith, 
at  short  intervals,  there  were  inscriptions  worthy  of  the 
event. 

The  expected  procession  at  last  appeared.  It  was 
fine ;  as  much  so  in  equipage  as  Bangor  and  Carnarvon 
combined  could  make  it.  They  soon  reached  the 
church,  and  in  perfect  order  they  entered  it.  Then  fol- 
lowed the  concourse,  and  the  edifice  was  thronged. 
The  bride  was  given  away  by  Thomas  Lloyd.  The  cer- 
emony presented  no  new  features,  but  the  peculiar  in- 
22 


346  LLANGOBAITH. 

cidents  connected  with  the  history  of  the  bridegroom, 
gave  the  service  a  peculiar  effect.  They  were  pro- 
nounced "  husband  and  wife  together,"  in  the  name  of 
the  Holy  Trinity.  t 

When  the  party  again  reached  the  open  air,  and  the 
restraint  was  removed  from  the  throng,  a  grand  shout 
of  good  cheer  went  up  from  five  hundred  voices,  while 
banners  waved  and  church  bells  rung.  The  carriages 
were  soon  occupied  by  the  guests,  and  all  were  ready 
to  start.  In  an  instant  the  horses  were  released  from 
the  bridal  carriage,  when  a  company  of  broad  shouldered 
young  Welshmen  seized  the  vehicle,  and  thus  the  united 
twain  were  conducted  from  the  church  to  the  residence 
of  Thomas  Lloyd,  where  preparations  had  been  per- 
fected on  a  large  scale  for  feeding  the  gathered  throng. 
And  on  that  evening,  when  the  last  gleam  of  daylight 
had  vanished  from  the  western  sky,  there  were  seen 
such  illuminations  as  never  before  had  been  witnessed 
in  that  part  of  North  Wales.  Bonfires  were  kindled  on 
every  hill,  while  along  the  sides  of  the  adjoining  moun- 
tains the  ascending  flames  were  visible  until  a  late  hour, 
and  the  people  at  last  had  found  the  coveted  oppor- 
tunity to  show  their  kind  regards  for  Dick  Jones  and 
Mary  Humphreys. 


Llewelyn  Edwards  had  been  away  from  home  for 
about  two  weeks,  engaged  in  his  itinerant  labors,  preach- 


WEDDING    BELLS    AND    A    DIRGE.  847 

ing  twice  every  week  day,  and  three  times  on  the  Sab- 
bath. He  was  closing  one  of  his  meetings  on  an  after- 
noon in  the  old  and  historical  town  of  Harlech,  when 
a  letter  was  put  into  his  hand.  At  once  the  seal  was 
broken,  and  while  the  congregation  was  singing  the 
last  hymn,  he  read  the  following  : 

"  MY  DEAR  LLEWELYN  : 

Papa  is  very  sick.  He  was  taken  down  a  week  ago. 
Dr.  Evans  thinks  that  you  had  better  come  home  with- 
out delay.  The  fever  is  very  high,  and  of  a  malignant 
type.  His  case  is  considered  as  highly  critical.  Our 
trust  is  in  the  Lord. 

Affectionately. 

GWENNIE." 

Llewelyn  gave  the  audience  to  understand  the  nature 
of  the  message,  and  said  that  he  would  immediately  re- 
turn. His  appointments  would  be  filled  by  others,  to 
whom  he  would  send  word  at  once.  And  the  congre- 
gation at  Harlech  was  dismissed. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  Mr.  Edwards 
reached  home.  By  the  tearful  eyes  of  his  wife,  he  knew 
that  the  sick  man  was  no  better.  With  silent  steps 
they  entered  the  chamber  where,  under  the  influence  of 
a  burning  fever,  the  father  was  restlessly  tossing  about. 
By  a  table  sat  Dr.  Evans  preparing  some  powders. 
Grace  was  present,  paying  the  strictest  attention  to 
every  direction  that  fell  over  the  physician's  lips.  Mrs. 
Richard  Jones  was  also  there  like  a  ministering  angel, 


348  LLANGOBAITH. 

moviiig  about  quietly  and  systematically.  Her  hus- 
band, also,  and  Mr.  Trevor  were  near  at  hand  to  render 
any  assistance  within  their  power.  Anxious  days  and 
weary  nights  passed  away,  and  there  was  no  improve- 
ment. When  lost  in  delirium,  the  sick  man  would 
sometimes  refer  with  horror  to  his  past  behavior,  call 
himself  a  cruel  father,  and  beg  of  his  daughter  to  come 
home.  But  far  oftener  would  he  find  himself  with  the 
brethren  at  "Siloarn."  "No!1' he  would  cry,  "confer 
no  office  on  me,  for  I  have  persecuted  the  church  of 
Christ !"  Once  or  twice  he  mentioned  his  wife.  "Sarah !" 
he  cried,  "you  were  right,  and  I  was  wrong!  Never 
mind,  Gwennie  is  safe  !" 

At  the  end  of  fourteen  days,  the  fever  subsided,  but 
so  fearful  had  been  its  ravages  that  there  was  no  hope 
of  a  rally.  He  was  calm,  conscious,  and  fully  aware 
that  he  was  passing  away.  While  he  was  yet  able,  he 
bade  them  all  an  affectionate  farewell,  and  smiled  in 
view  of  his  approaching  departure.  He  continued  to 
sink,  and  at  last,  without  a  struggle  or  a  groan,  the 
spirit  of  Thomas  Lloyd  passed  away  to  the  great  here- 
after. 

The  funeral  was  very  large.  At  the  house  a  most  im- 
pressive sermon  was  delivered  by  Rev.  John  Elias,  who, 
although  comparatively  young,  had  already  set  the 
country  ablaze  by  his  wonderful  ministry.  At  the 
church,  the  rector  read  the  usual  burial  service,  and  the 


WEDDING   BELLS    AND    A    DIRGE.  349 

mortal  remains  were  laid  in  their  last  resting  place  by 
the  side  of  her  who  had  gone  before  him  into  the 
"  Bright  Forever." 

He  left  a  caref ully  prepared  will,  by  which  Gwennie 
received  a  large  sum  of  money,  with  much  personal 
property.  A  liberal  sum  was  left  to  the  Methodist  so- 
ciety at  Llangobaith,  the  interest  of  which  would  go 
for  the  support  of  the  ministry.  To  his  most  faithful 
servant,  Kobin  Jones,  in  view  of  special  services  ren- 
dered the  family,  he  left  fifty  pounds,  with  smaller  sums 
to  several  other  servants  on  the  farm  and  in  the  house. 


"  Kobin  Jones,"  said  Llewelyn,  one  nioruiug,  "  I  am 
no  farmer,  as  you  well  know.  If  you  are  willing  to  re- 
main here  and  superintend  this  farm,  I  will  do  well  by 
you.  I  have  but  little  confidence  in  the  judgment  of 
any  of  the  other  men." 

"I  am  very  thankful  to  you,  Mr.  Edwards,''  said  Rob- 
in, "  but  my  brother  has  made  different  arrangements. 
I  am  to  have  the  charge  of  Riverside  on  very  favorable 
conditions." 

"You  have  my  hearty  good  wishes!"  said  Llewelyn. 
"But  I  must  have  a  competent  hand  to  superintend 
Druid's  Grove.  I  presume  that  Trevor,  ere  this,  has 
secured  a  place?" 

''  I  think  he  has  not,"  said  Robin.     "  Trevor  is  a  per- 


350  LLANGOBAITH. 

feet  farmer,  and  Mrs.  Trevor  is  a  splendid  housekeeper, 
and  she  would  be  such  a  company  for  Mrs.  Edwards." 

"  Robin,  you  are  a  philosopher,  as  well  as  a  farmer," 
said  Llewelyn.  "  I  will  at  once  try  and  secure  their 
services.  There  is  another  member  of  the  family  that 
you  have  not  mentioned.  Perhaps  that  Nellie  would 
not  object  to  remain  where  she  is,  if  she  was  properly 
approached.  Eh,  Robin  ?" 

Robin  colored,  and  with  some  embarrassment,  as  well 
as  ingenuity,  he  replied — 

"  Nellie  has  never  been  known  as  a  servant,  and  I 
doubt  if  Dick  would  ever  approach  her  on  that  subject." 

"That  is  well  turned,  Robin,"  said  Mr.  Edwards. 
"I  will  go  and  see  Trevor  this  very  day." 


"  I  should  be  so  sorry  to  leave  this  vicinity  and  go  so 
far !"  said  Nellie  Trevor,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  as  she 
and  her  mother  sat  together.  "  We  have  been  so  hap- 
py, and  we  have  such  excellent  friends." 

"  There  is  no  certainty  that  your  father  will  go,  dear," 
said  the  mother.  "  He  has  ten  days  to  think  of  it.  Be- 
fore that  time  expires,  an  offer  may  come  that  will  not 
take  us  so  far  away." 

Just  then  Llewelyn  and  Gwennie  drove  into  the  front 
yard.  The  mother  and  daughter  rushed  out  to  meet 
them,  and  to  give  them  a  cordial  greeting. 


WEDDIKG   BELLS   AND   A    DIRGE.  351 

"Mr.  Jones  and  Mary  have  gone  to  Bangor,"  said 
Mrs.  Trevor. 

"  I  know  they  have,"  was  the  reply.  "  Our  errand 
to-day  is  with  Mr.  Trevor  and  his  family.  Is  your  hus- 
band at  home  ?" 

"  He  is,  and  will  be  in  the  house  in  a  few  minutes," 
said  Mrs.  Trevor. 

Presently  Mr.  Trevor  came  in  with  a  smiling  counte- 
nance, and  assured  his  friends  that  he  was  very  glad  to 
see  them. 

Mr.  Edwards  then  very  briefly  stated  the  object  of 
his  visit,  informed  Mr.  Trevor  what  he  would  do  for 
him,  and  asked  if  the  offer  and  terms  suited  him. 

"  With  many  thanks,  I  accept  your  very  liberal  offer," 
said  Mr.  Trevor,  "and  I  know  my  family  is  greatly  re- 
lieved." 

"  And  so  we  are !"  cried  Nellie,  while  joy  beamed  in 
her  face.  '*  O,  I  was  so  afraid  that  we  would  have  to  go 
far  away  from  this  dear  vicinity,  where  we  have  so 
many  kind  friends." 

"  Well,"  said  Llewelyn,  "  I  have  but  little  time  to 
spare.  I  must  leave  home  to-morrow  morning  to  be 
away  for  some  time.  We  shall  have  to  start." 

"And  between  this  and  your  leaving  Kiverside,  be 
sure  and  come  to  see  us  often,"  said  Mrs.  Edwards,  ad- 
dressing the  family. 


352  LLANGOBAITH. 

"  I  shall  often  pay  a  visit  to  my  future  home,"  said 
Nellie. 

"  Of  your  father  and  mother  we  are  pretty  sure," 
said  Mrs.  Edwards,  "but  you  may  meet  with  a  bet- 
ter offer  and  give  us  the  slip."  And  amid  very  pleas- 
ant feeling,  the  company  separated. 

"  And  Robin  Jones  is  to  have  the  charge  of  this  noble 
farm,"  said  Trevor.  '"  Heaven  bless  him  !  It  could  not 
go  into  the  hands  of  a  more  worthy  young  man.'' 

And  Nellie,  as  if  remembering  something  she  had 
forgotten,  ran  up  stairs. 

On  that  evening,  it  was  no  wonder  at  all  that  Robin 
Jones  took  more  pains  than  usual  with  his  toilet.  Of 
late  he  had  been  much  in  the  society  of  Nellie  Trevor, 
and  but  few  knew  it.  It  was  so  fortunate  !  He  could, 
of  an  evening,  go  to  Riverside,  and  the  people  would 
naturally  suppose  that  he  went  to  see  his  brother.  The 
twain  had  often  been  in  the  parlor,  without  molestation, 
for  long  periods,  when  the  young  man  would  be  per- 
fectly charmed  with  the  spontaneous  brilliancy  of  the 
young  lady,  while  his  heart  throbbed  with  emotions. 
He  looked  upon  her  as  far  above  him,  and  shrunk  from 
the  important  avowal,  and  the  weighty  question.  On 
that  night  he  had  come  to  the  firm  resolve  that  he 
would  conquer  his  timidity  and  know  his  fate.  His 
toilet  being  finished,  he  started,  and  on  the  road  he 
pondered  in  his  mind  whether  it  was  best  to  study  a 


WEDDING    BELLS    AND    A    DIRGE.    ^  353 

few  set  sentences  in  which  to  present  his  ardent  de- 
sire. He  very  wisely  abandoned  the  thought,  and 
trusted  himself  to  the  inspiration  of  the  moment. 

Nellie  expected  him,  but  knew  nothing  of  what  was 
coming,  although  her  keen  eye  could  easily  discern 
that  Robin  Jones  was  laboring  under  some  embarrass- 
ment. 

A  gentle  knock  was  heard  at  the  door.  Nellie  was 
instantly  on  her  feet,  to  answer  it,  and  Robin  was  ush- 
ered into  the  very  room  where  his  courage  had  so  often 
failed  him.  And  for  fear  that  it  might  so  prove  again, 
he  thought  that  wiohout  delay  he  would  open  the  sub- 
ject. 

"  Well,  Nellie,  you  look  very  cheerful  and  happy." 

"I  am  very  happy,  Robin,  and  I  have  a  very  good 
reason  for  it,"  said  Nellie.  "We  are  going  to  Druid's 
Grove.  Isn't  that  glorious1?  O,  I  was  so  afraid  that 
we  would  have  to  go  far  away.  I  am  as  happy  as  a 
soaring  lark  !  How  does  it  affect  you,  Robin  ?" 

"  Well,"  said  the  young  man,  "  as  far  as  your  father 
and  mother  are  concerned,  it  is  grand,  and  it  pleases  me 
ever  so  much.  But  for  a  particular  reason,  which,  by 
your  permission,  I  will  tell  you,  I  hope  that  .you  will 
not  leave  Riverside." 

"  Why,  Robin,  you  talk  strangely  !"  said  Nellie,  blush- 
ing in  spite  of  herself. 

"  Rather  strangely  for  me,"  said  Robin.     "  My  rea- 


354  LLANGOBAITH. 

son  may  be  somewhat  selfish.  You  must  judge  of  its 
merits  and  act  accordingly.  Nellie,  for  a  long  time  I 
have  loved  you  most  ardently,  but  owing  to  my  natural 
timidity,  I  have  not  avowed  it  until  this  moment.  I 
am  aware  that  I  am  greatly  your  inferior,  both  in  intellect 
and  education.  I  am  but  a  plain  farming  young  man, 
and  in  asking  for  your  hand,  I  am  taking  a  bold  step. 
I  am  about  to  take  the  charge  of  this  farm,  which  my 
brother  gives  me,  on  terms  that  are  wonderfully  favor- 
able. My  earthly  prospects  are  bright,  and  now  in  all 
sincerity  and  love,  I  ask  Nellie  Trevor  to  be  my  wife." 

Nellie  did  not  fall  into  a  delicious  trance,  nor  gently 
lean  upon  his  bosom  and  sob,  nor  sweetly  refer  him  to 
her  father.  She  did  not  indulge  in  a  number  of  other 
things  which  we  often  read  of.  It  was  not  Miss  Tre- 
vor's style. 

"  Robin,  you  undervalue  yourself,  and  I  don't  like 
it!"  she  said.  "Inferior,  indeed!  It  may  be  possible 
that  I  can  do  a  number  of  things  that  you  cannot,  such 
as  washing  and  ironing,  make  bread  and  talk  nonsense. 
But  what  about  plowing,  sowing,  reaping,  and  harvest- 
ing ?  Yes,  Robin,  I  will  be  your  wife.  I  love  you 
dearly,  and — " 

The  rest  of  the  sentence,  whatever  it  intended  to  be, 
was  interrupted  by  a  certain  movement  on  the  part  of 
the  young  man,  which  seriously  interferred  with  Nellie's 
utterance.  This  interruption  the  young  lady  promptly 


WEDDING   BELLS   AND   A   DIRGE.  355 

resented  by  an  infliction  of  the  same  chastisement  on 
Kobin  Jones. 

They  were  betrothed.  Gwennie's  pleasing  prophecy 
bad  been  fulfilled.  Nellie  Trevor  met  with  a  better 
offer,  and  Riverside  was  to  be  her  future  home.  Her 
parents  were  happj  over  it,  and  Robin's  relatives  were 
delighted.  The  wedding  was  quiet.  There  were  no  bans 
published,  and  it  took  the  community  by  surprise.  Both 
were  general  favorites,  and  showers  of  blessings  were 
invoked  to  rest  upon  their  heads. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

CONCLUSION. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trevor,  according  to  agreement,  went 
to  Druid's  Grove,  where  they  remained  for  many  years, 
happy  themselves,  and  conferring  happiness  on  others. 

Llewelyn  Edwards  increased  in  popularity,  and  was 
a  power  in  the  Calvinistic  body  as  long  as  he  lived. 
Tears  ago  he  died  in  good  old  age,  all  covered  with 
glory,  while  weeping  thousands  followed  him  to  the 
tomb.  Two  years  later  his  loving  companion  joined 
him  in  the  better  land.  They  had  three  children.  The 
youngest  is  to-day  a  shining  light  in  the  ministerial 
heaven.  The  sister  is  the  companion  of  a  venerable 
D.  D.,  and  the  other  brother  is  enjoying  a  happy  eve- 
ning of  life  at  Llwyn  y  Derwydd. 

Taliesin  Roberts  became  an  eminent  counselor  and 
attorney,  and  with  his  beloved  Helen,  settled  at  Car- 
narvon, where  he  had  large  practice  and  great  influence. 

Morgan  Edwards  remained  at  the  "  shop  "  until  the 
death  of  his  sister.  He  then  sold  his  property  at  Llan- 
gobaith,  and  at  the  earnest  request  of  Llewelyn  and 
•Gwennie,  made  his  home  at  Druid's  Grove. 

Dick  Jones,  without  delay,  made  extensive  repairs  at 
Pren  y  G6g,  where  his  parents  continued  to  live  for 


CONCLUSION.  357 

many  more  years,  happy  in  the  society  of  their  children, 
amid  peace  and  plenty.  He,  himself,  remained  at  Glan 
'r  Afon  as  long  as  he  lived,  while  Robin  carried  on  the 
farm.  At  an  advanced  age  the  two  brothers,  with  their 
companions,  passed  away,  leaving  a  large  property 
to  their  children  and  relatives. 

Morris  Williams,  after  having  been  a  widower  for 
many  year?,  received  in  return  for  his  own  the  warm 
affection  of  Grace  Lloyd,  with  whom  he  lived  many 
happy  years. 

Mrs.  Parry,  of  Thrush  Grove,  remained  a  widow  un- 
til Arthur  became  of  age,  and  was  married.  She  then 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Mr.  John  Williams,  of  Ty 
Mawr,  a  gentleman  mentioned  in  another  part  of  our 
story. 

Dick  Roland  remained  in  the  service  of  Arthur,  and 
at  last  married  Jane  Jones.  They  would  have  entered 
into  this  state  much  sooner,  but  it  was  hard  for  Dick  to 
make  Jane  believe  that  he  was  really  in  earnest.  At 
last,  still  having  some  doubt,  she  consented  to  go  with 
him  to  church,  and  to  her  perfect  delight  she  found 
that  for  once  he  was  not  joking.  The  coachman's  mar- 
ried life  was  happy.  Thej  remained  in  a  neat  cottage 
on  the  place  as  long  as  they  lived 

Miss  Thomas,  of  Bala,  was  married  to  one  of  the 
Professors  at  the  Institute,  and  was  noted  through  life 
for  her  deeds  of  charity. 


358  LLANGOBAITH. 

In  about  four  years  after  the  departure  of  Evan  Pugh 
from  Biverside,  the  following  appeared  in  the  Carnar- 
von Herald,  copied  from  a  London  paper  : 

"  A  shocking  case  of  suicide  took  place  yesterday  at 
Orosvenor  Square.  For  some  years,  a  lady  calling  her- 
self Mrs.  McKnight,  had  occupied  rooms  in  the  house 
No.  50.  Where  she  came  from,  and  under  what  cir- 
cumstances, no  one  knew.  She  seemed  to  have  abund- 
ance of  money,  and  her  rent  was  regularly  advanced. 
Not  long  after  she  had  occupied  these  rooms,  she  was 
joined  by  a  gentleman  who  was  thought  to  be  her  hus- 
band. He  was  not  at  all  communicative,  and  gave  evi- 
dence of  a  troubled  mind.  It  was  plain  that  their  do- 
mestic relation  was  not  happy.  Boisterous  language 
on  the  part  of  the  woman,  was  frequently  heard,  and 
she  was  often  under  the  influence  of  liquor.  For  the 
last  few  weeks  her  husband,  if  husband  he  was,  had  not 
been  seen.  It  is  thought  that  her  constant  violence 
and  drunkenness  had  driven  him  away  in  despair.  Yes- 
terday morning  a  lady  of  an  adjoining  room,  who  was 
on  familiar  terms  with  Mrs.  McKnight,  went  into  her 
apartment,  and  beheld  a  most  shocking  sight.  On  the 
floor,  with  her  face  in  a  pool  of  blood,  lay  the  woman,  with 
her  throat  cut  from  ear  to  ear.  In  her  hand  was  a  razor' 
and  on  a  stand  near  by  a  brandy  bottle  nearly  empty. 
On  the  lady's  person  were  found  papers  and  correspond- 
ence which  clearly  prove  that  her  real  name  was  Mrs. 


CONCLUSION.  359 

Evan  Pugh,  and  that  she  had  long  resided  at  Riverside, 
in  North  Wales.  What  may  have  been  the  reason  for 
hiding  under  a  false  name,  we  cannot  just  now  tell ;  but 
the  once  proud  mistress  of  a  beautiful  country  residence, 
came  to  a  terrible  and  disgraceful  end." 


TESTIMONIALS. 


From  Kev.  Leieis  Meredith,  of  Bockford,  III. 
DEAB  BEOTHEB  JONES  : 

Thanks  for  the  privilege  of  reading  your  MS.  of  "  Llangobaith. " 
It  is  a  unique  work.  I  know  of  nothing  like  it  in  the  English  lan- 
guage. It  will  do  more  than  any  book  I  am  acquainted  with  to 
interest  English  readers  in  Wales  and  its  people.  The  story  in 
itself  is  one  of  thrilling  interest  ;  but  besides  that,  it  portrays  so 
many  Welsh  scenes,  habits,  customs  and  features  of  life,  similar 
to  what  is  found  in  fiber's  Egyptian  romances,  and  in  Sir  Walter 
Scott's  novels,  that  it  must  add  much  to  the  ease  with  which 
many  may  become  acquainted  with  our  old  historic  land  Ear- 
nestly hoping  it  may  have  a  successful  run, 
I  am  very  truly  yours, 

LEWIS  MEREDITH. 


From  Rev.  Dr.  Janet,  Pattor  of  Bethetda  Welth  Congregational  Church, 

Utica,  N.  r. 
KEV.  FBASMCS  W.  JONES  : 

I  heartily  thank  you  for  lending  me  the  MS.  of  "  Llangobaith." 
It  is  a  wonderful  story.  It  stirred  my  whole  soul,  and  made  me 
laugh  and  cry.  Your  characters  are  so  natural  and  lif  elike.  You 
manifest  full  acquaintance  with  North  Wales  ;  its  scenery,  histo- 
ry, legends,  ancient  practice  and  preaching.  The  story  has  a 
good  moral  and  religious  tendency.  Whoever  begins  to  read  it 
will  continue  to  the  end.  I  am  greatly  in  love  with  it,  and  can 
conscientiously  recommend  it  to  all  parents  who  love  interesting 
books  which  they  and  their  children  can  read  to  edification.  I 
hope  there  will  be  a  call  for  one  hundred  thousand  copies. 

Yours  truly,  B.  G.  JONES. 

From  Rev.  H.  W.  Bennett,  Pastor  of  tke  AuiA  Street  M.  E.  Church,  Plica,  ff.  Y. 

I  have  been  permitted  to  read  the  MS.  of  "  Llangobaith,"  by 

Rev.  Erasmus  W.  Jones,  and  find  it  a  book  which,  when  once 


362  TESTIMONIALS. 

taken  up,  will  be  hard  to  lay  down  till  the  last  page  is  finished. 
It  is  a  work  of  rare  merit.  The  spirit  of  it  is  true  and  elevating. 
Its  perusal  will  afford  much  pleasure  and  instruction. 

H.  \V.  BENNETT. 


From  Benjamin  F.  />wix,  of  I'tin,,  N.  Y. 
REV.  E.  \V.  JONES  : 

Dear  Friend — I  read  every  word  of  "  Llangobaith, "  and  thor- 
oughly enjoyed  it  from  first  to  last.  I  read  several  chapters  to 
my  aged  mother,  and  it  would  have  done  you  goo<jl  to  see  with 
what  pleasure  she  listened,  and  to  hear  her  approving  exclama- 
tions, as  some  of  the  scenes  brought  back  to  her  incidents  in  her 
early  life.  The  book  contains  much  valuable  information  worked 
into  an  absorbingly  interesting  story,  especially  interesting  on 
account  of  the  insight  it  gives  of  the  moral  and  religious  phases 
of  social  life  in  our  dear  native  land.  The  pure  tone  of  the  book 
should  make  it  a  welcome  addition  to  evfery  family  library. 

BENJA.MIN  F.  LEWIS. 


h;-i:in  I'l-'ij,  Apmadoe,  »f  Utica,  jV.  r. 
REV.  E.  W.  JONES  : 

The  reading  of  "Llangobaith  "  —a  charming  name  by  the  way 
— gave  me  unmixed  pleasure.  You  have  interwoven  in  your 
story  so  many  unique  Welsh  customs  and  characteristics,  that  I 
feel  confident  will  delight  a  large  number  of  readers  who  hereto- 
fore were  strangers  to  the  Welsh  character.  Many  of  t  ie  inci- 
dents in  your  readable  work  recalled  to  my  mind  similar  ones  that 
actually  occurred  in  and  around  my  native  town.  I  believe  that 
among  the  most  difficult  tasks  of  a  story  writer,  are  the  true  con- 
ception, and  the  delineation  ot  character,  and  the  successful 
working  out  of  a  strong  plot  to  a  thrilling  climax.  Allow  me  to 
congratulate  you  on  your  success  in  this  respect.  Your  charac- 
ters are  natural— they  speak  for  themselves.  The  variety  of 
matter  introduced,  the  many  incidents  showing  the  religious 
warmth  and  tendencies  of  the  Welsh  people,  and  the  racy  style  of 
the  whole  narrative,  will  command,  I  predict,  a  large  number  of 
readers.  Wishing  you  much  and  immediate  success, 

I  remain  very  cordially  yours,  W.  APMADOC. 


TESTIMONIALS.  OVO 

From  Rev.  F.  H.  Beck,  Pastor  of  First  M.  E.  Church,  Utica,  .V.  Y. 
"  Llangobaith "  is  a  most  chinning  story,  written  iii  a  style 
that  will  interest,  please  and  instruct  the  reader.  The  characters 
are  true  to  nature,  und  exhibit  that  keen  insight  of  tuen  the  au- 
thor possesses,  which  has  already  given  him  favor  as  a  writer. 
The  story  will  delight  the  Welsh  people,  who  in  thought  will  be 
transported  to  the  father  land.  Americans  also  will  read  it  with 
interest,  as  it  will  give  them  an  insight  into  Welsh  character  and 
customs,  and  a  better  idea  of  the  geography  of  that  historic  land. 
I  commend  the  work  most  heartily  to  the  patronage  of  the  reading 
public,  and  hope  it  will  be  widely  circulated.  F.  H.  BECK. 


From  Rev.    Wm.  R.   Griffith,  Pastor  of   th-    Welsh  .»/.   K.   Clnn-d,. 
Utica,  N.   Y. 

MY  DEAR  BROTHEB  : 

I  thank  you  for  the  privelege  of  reading  the  MH.  ot  Llaugob- 
aith.  With  it,  I  have  spent  happy  hours  amid  the  charms  of 
"  Cymru  Fu"  (Wales  of  the  past.)  It's  like  a  museum  rich  with 
the  relics  of  gone-by  days.  I  was  permitted  to  listen  to  the 
pulpit  giants  of  eighty  years  ago,  and  to  witness  the  oocial  cus- 
toms of  the  fathers.  In  publishing  this  incomparable  work,  you 
confer  a  great  favor  upon  your  nation  and  the  world.  In  it  we 
find  a  beautiful  combination  of  the  serious,  the  comic  and  the 
religious;  and  all  of  an  instructive  bearing.  The  characters  are ' 
as  natural  as  nature  itself.  You  have  not  only  given  theiu  form, 
but  also  life.  The  book  will  be  popular. 


JE2SKSS"  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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